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1.  [Home](/)
2.  [Caring for elderly parents](/caring-for-elderly-parents)
3.  Do smart speakers work for older parents? 

Honest answer

# Do smart speakers work for older parents?

For some households they are the best fifty pounds ever spent. For others they sit in a box within a fortnight. The difference is predictable.

Short answer

They work for people who are comfortable speaking to a device, have reliable wifi, and want music, radio, the time and hands-free calls. They do not work as a care tool, because nothing tells you when a prompt was ignored.

[Begin caring today for free](/signup)[How it works](/features)

## The three things that decide it

-   Wifi. Many older households have none, and that ends the conversation. 
-   Speech. Strong accents, quiet voices and some speech difficulties are frequently not recognised, which is humiliating rather than helpful. 
-   Attitude. Someone who finds talking to a machine absurd will not persist past the first failure. 

## What they are genuinely good at

Radio and music without fiddling with a remote. Asking the time and date aloud, which suits sight loss. Hands-free calls for someone with limited mobility. Setting a timer while cooking. These are real, daily benefits.

## Why they are not a care tool

A speaker announces into a room. It does not know if anyone was there, and it does not tell you. For families who need to know whether the day is going as it should, that gap is the whole point.

## How to trial it properly

Set it up entirely for them, put it in the room they actually sit in, teach three commands and no more, and check back in a fortnight. If two of the three are being used, it has worked.

## Being straight with you

You Care Reminders is a non-medical wellness tool, not a monitoring service and not an alarm. Delivery is best effort rather than guaranteed, and it must not be used for medication reminders. If you are worried about someone's health, speak to their GP; in an emergency, call 999.

## Questions carers ask

### Which one is best for an older person?

### Are there privacy concerns?

### Can it replace a check-in?

## Read next

-   [Check-in reminders vs smart speakers](/smart-speakers-vs-reminder-service)
-   [Why smart alarms fail older adults](/why-smart-alarms-fail-older-adults)
-   [Low vision daily reminders](/low-vision-and-daily-reminders)
-   [Devices we support](/devices)

## Set the first reminder tonight

It takes about five minutes, costs nothing to start, and the person you care for has nothing to install.

[Begin caring today for free](/signup)[See plans](/pricing)

You Care Reminders 

Thoughtful reminders that help families stay quietly connected to the people they love.

Wellness support, not medical advice.

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-   [Daily prompts for MCI](/mild-cognitive-impairment-daily-prompts)
-   [Drink & meal reminders](/dehydration-reminders-elderly)
-   [Compared to dementia clocks](/vs-dementia-clocks)
-   [Why smart alarms fail](/why-smart-alarms-fail-older-adults)

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-   [Dementia care at home](/dementia-care-at-home)
-   [Mild cognitive impairment](/mild-cognitive-impairment)
-   [Dementia clocks](/dementia-clocks)
-   [Signs of dehydration](/signs-of-dehydration-in-older-adults)
-   [Carer burnout](/carer-burnout-early-signs)
-   [Respite care](/respite-care-uk)
-   [Carer's assessment](/carers-assessment)
-   [Telecare explained](/telecare-explained)
-   [Loneliness in later life](/loneliness-in-later-life)
-   [All care guides →](/guides)

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