"Alexa, tell my nurse I need help." RCare Announces Integration

The RCare Nurse Call skill has completed Amazon certification and will now be available to the public on the Alexa skill store. Using this brand new Alexa 'skill,' residents living in senior communities with RCare wireless nurse call systems will be able to verbally request caregiver assistance using Alexa.

Virtual assistants like Alexa have been recently introduced into senior living communities as an informational and socialization tool for residents who may primarily be using it to access the news, weather reports, trivia and even ask the time and date. Some communities have even been pilot testing for simple home automation controls such as smart thermostats, lights and various other appliances in the individual apartments. Pilots have been largely focused for high end independent living and concierge models, skipping the more acute needs in assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing facilities. Results from these pilot programs have been highly positive showing seniors very willing engage Alexa for information, daily reminders and music. Now with RCare's brand new Alexa skill set, residents can also use only voice to request caregiver assistance. This can be particularly helpful if a resident is unable to press a button or get to a telephone.

The residents aren't the only beneficiary of the technology. Often, when professional caregiving staff and nurses are responding to emergency resident calls, it can be a time critical situation. When called to a room, they can now simply use their voice to dismiss the 'Tell my nurse I need help' alert and indicate to other caregivers that the call has been addressed. This frees up the caregiver to keep their focus on the resident and never have to leave his/her side.

"RCare has always been on the forefront of technology, especially in the long term care and nurse call industry," says RCare CEO Myron Kowal. "It was an obvious move for us to create an Alexa skill for our residents and caregivers. Almost everyone uses virtual assistants these days, why shouldn't our clients and customers benefit from easier hands-off technologies?"

All the resident needs to do, according to Kowal, is say "Alexa, tell my nurse I need help." Alexa will then send out an alert through the RCare system, the same process that would happen if a resident had pushed a pendant or pulled a pull-cord. "To the best of our knowledge, we're the first nurse call system to do this," says Kowal. "We're getting out on the front lines because we believe talking to your nurse call system will be commonplace in the future."

RCare continues to innovate on all fronts. They debuted a brand new 3-in-1 GeoPendant locating and wander management pendant and most recently launched a new "RCare Mobile" iOS app available for iPhone.

To find out more about RCare, visit www.rcareinc.com

ABOUT RCARE

RCare is a global provider of wireless nurse call and personal emergency response systems for the entire spectrum of eldercare and senior living. Our components integrate into a variety of healthcare communication systems to create efficient and verifiable responses to medical emergencies. RCare works together with distribution partners to build individualized, flexible and seamless systems to enhance both caregiving and resident quality of life.

Media Contact:Laura Mitchell, Laura Mitchell Consulting, 262-353-3412, media@lmcllc.us