This is what talking with my mom looks like these days.
My mom, Ginny, is 97 and lives in assisted living. She is always cheerful, positive and grateful.
I last visited her in person on Saturday, 3/21. My sweet daughter, Talia, and my son, Michael, figured out and bought the Echo Show device, so we would be able to see and talk with her at the same time. I installed the Echo Show on 3/21. After that day, I stopped visiting her in person as the facility banned outside visitors.
We are glad to have this device. We use the “drop in” feature, so she does not have to answer. I had wondered if she would be able to hear us, but she can. We turned up the volume all the way on the Echo Show, and it is pretty loud. My mom also has to have her hearing aids in, with good working batteries. If I say, “I love you” and she says “okay”, then I know there is a hearing aid issue, and I contact the support staff. They are a great help with this.
The only other little glitch is that when the facility’s internet goes down, the device needs to be powered on again and the agreement “accepted”. Again, the support staff does this for us. Without their help, we would not be able to use the Echo Show.
Not visiting my mom in person is the hardest part of this whole ordeal for me. Using the Echo Show doesn’t quite replace visits, but it is better than just calling. The “drop in” feature is also critical as my mom doesn’t have to do anything. She just sees me appear, we talk, and then I disappear. I call two or three times a day. Others call her on it, too. So, she is getting lots of visits. She has seen our cat, the lake across the street, my Easter decorations, and when my sisters calls – her great, great grandson.
At her facility, the residents have been staying in their rooms since March 21. They do not go to the dining room. It kind of sounds lonely, but my mom actually loves sitting in her recliner, in front of her TV and eating her meals. Not that we can prove it, but we think she is eating better.
I so appreciate the workers at her facility. We have entrusted her care completely to them. While this is a very difficult time, there are good people, points of hope and still so much for which to be thankful.
Chambers on the Road 
Glad to hear you had some time with your Mom. Even a virtual visit is better than no visit. Keep safe.
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I agree! Thanks for reading, and stay safe, too!
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Bless both of you!
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Thank you, and bless you, too. Stay safe.
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Do hope your mother stays safe during this trying time. Technology has helped us all connect to our loved ones during this coronavirus outbreak.
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You are right. We are really glad to have it.
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So glad you are able to connect with your mother through technology
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Thank you so much. I appreciate you reading and your comments. Stay safe!
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Betty this is wonderful. I have a 97 year old great aunt in an assisted living facility. I talk with her generally once a week. Last Saturday Mike and I went for a car ride and I called her and had her go to her window so we could see for ourselves that she was doing well. She loved it and I made a sign for her. But then there is a facility in St. Ann where another great aunt lives and her kids put one (Echo) in her room so they could talk to her and see her, unfortunately the place confiscated it. They said it breaks HIPPA rules or something. But now the kids have very little contact with their mother because she is in the memory care unit and she doesn’t remember what the phone is for when they call her. They are at the mercy of the unit nurses to get a phone to her to talk. So so hard for them. But just have to trust she is eating and the facility is taking care of her.
So glad it is working out for your mother! I am using zoom to visit with my kids and grandkids. My grandsons with practice their reading skills with me via zoom. So thankful for technology.
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Yes, we are really glad to have it. My heart goes out to those kids who had their Echo confiscated. It is hard enough – even with Echo – to not be able to visit in person. I am thankful for technology, too. Stay safe!
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[…] and others kept in touch with my mom using the Echo device. Sometimes, I couldn’t really think of much to talk about, so I started asking her math […]
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