USING VOICE-CONTROLLED PERSONAL ASSISTANTS TO REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION

Episode Summary

In this Better Edge podcast, Katherine T. O’Brien, MD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at Northwestern Medicine, discusses research she recently presented at the 2021 American Geriatric Society Annual Scientific Meeting regarding the use of voice-controlled intelligent personal assistants by homebound older adults. Dr. O’Brien shares her findings on how technology can play a role in reducing social isolation, as well as the benefits and challenges of using these types of devices.

“We have found many different themes regarding how people are using these devices and how we as healthcare workers think they might use these devices,” says Dr. O’Brien. “They are used for entertainment such as music, audio books and brain games; to companionship by interacting back and forth with the device; to administrative functions like creating shopping lists and reminders of their medications; to controlling the home, lights and temperature; to emergency communication — some of the devices can actually call 911 or family members.”