An elderly monitoring system created with artificial intelligence is here to help sons and daughters who are juggling work, their own families, and the increasing needs of their aging parents.
Technology Supporting Elderly Care
Novais-AI has developed LARA ASSISTANT, an Alexa skill with the potential to help millions of people around the world care for aging parents who require attention.
The idea behind the skill is simple:
Every hour, the skill sends a question to the monitored person — something like:
“Hello Dona Maria, just checking in to see if everything is okay.”
This type of stimulus — a question coming from an electronic device — has strong influence on people of any age. When individuals hear a direct question about themselves, they naturally tend to respond. People like to talk about themselves.
The skill then processes the person’s response using natural language, with no need for predefined phrases. In cases where the response indicates concern, the need for help, or even an emergency, the skill immediately sends a notification to the designated family member or caregiver.
Future development will include camera-based motion detection, which will be essential for nighttime monitoring.
The skill also includes a medication reminder system, configured by the family or caregiver, aiming to reduce the common issue of seniors forgetting to take their medicine at the correct time.
LARA ASSISTANT is currently in beta testing on Alexa for users who are interested and who meet the minimum requirements to participate.
A Global Challenge
Caring for elderly parents has become one of the biggest responsibilities of the adult generation worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people over 60 has already surpassed 1 billion, and will reach 2.1 billion by 2050, creating increasing pressure on families trying to balance work, children, and the care of their own parents.
In Brazil, the challenge is even more intense: there are 32 million seniors, and this number is expected to double within the next two decades, making Brazil the 6th most elderly country in the world.
Studies from IBGE reveal that 83% of elderly care is provided exclusively by family members, usually sons and daughters who face emotional, financial, and physical overload.
Globally, more than 60% of family caregivers report chronic stress, and 1 in 3 say they have left work or lost professional opportunities in order to assist a parent living alone.
In countries like Japan, Germany, and the United States, the issue is so serious that governments have created “caregiver support” policies — yet even there, 40% of adults with aging parents report constant guilt for not being able to keep up with everything.
In Brazil, this feeling is even stronger, as 6 in every 10 seniors live alone or spend most of the day without supervision, increasing the risk of falls, isolation, and silent emergencies.
These numbers reveal an urgent reality: today’s generation must combine care, technology, and daily routine, and digital well-being assistants are becoming a fundamental part of this new family support model.
Constant Stress — Even When Everything Is Fine
Many seniors remain independent, and when monitored by their families — whether through daily phone calls or visits — they are well most of the time.
In these cases, automatic monitoring replaces the need for constant calls and even daily visits, as long as the monitored person shows they are doing well in the recent hours and days.
Monitoring elderly individuals using gadgets like smartwatches or medical wristbands is a good option, but adoption is often difficult for older adults.
A Solution for Accidents
There are countless cases of seniors or vulnerable individuals who fall and spend hours on the floor unable to call for help, only being rescued when a relative arrives home or when a neighbor notices something is wrong.
The Alexa skill solves this problem: from anywhere in the house — thanks to Alexa’s sensitive microphones — the person can ask for help, and a family member is notified immediately via WhatsApp.
Other situations, such as weakness, dizziness, or any sensation that suggests the need for attention, can also be responded to more quickly if the monitored person asks LARA ASSISTANT for help.
Technology Adoption
Another important aspect of the skill is the “presence” of technology interacting with the person regularly. This makes seniors much more likely to adopt the system than if they had to manually initiate interaction.
As they become accustomed to the periodic check-ins, in moments of stress or emergency they are more likely to remember that they can use the skill to call for help.
Alexa also offers many other features for distraction and entertainment, such as games, music playlists, and casual conversations. This technology can be a powerful ally for adult children who must care for their parents while also balancing work, household responsibilities, and raising their own children.
CESAR CREMONESI
