Sometimes, the thought of learning to use new technology can feel like climbing a mountain, especially when it’s packed with new buttons and functions to master. Thankfully that is not the case when it comes to voice assistive technology, like Alexa, which serves as a live-in assistant using voice recognition to simplify tasks for people of all ages. This technology can provide a measure of safety and security, and offer peace of mind to both seniors and their loved ones.
However, the true worth of technology like this is measured by its users ability to use it effectively. Unfortunately, the technology today does not come with detailed instructions per say. It seems like i’m sent on a scavenger hunt to find detailed instructions for any new technology I buy, which can be very frustrating. Hence, we aim to provide seniors with a healthy list of Amazon Alexa voice commands, all in one place. These commands are easy to learn, and are designed to help seniors make the most of Alexa, and enhance their daily living, starting today.
General Commands
“Alexa, what’s the weather like?” or “Alexa, what’s the weather in [location]?” – Alexa will provide a weather forecast.
“Alexa, what time is it?” – Alexa will tell you the current time.
“Alexa, what’s the date today?” – Alexa will tell you the current date.
“Alexa, set a timer for [duration].” – Alexa will set a timer for the specified duration.
“Alexa, what’s [number] times [number]?” or “Alexa, what’s [number] divided by [number]?” – Alexa can do math problems.
“Alexa, how far is [location]?” – Alexa will give you the distance to a specified location.
“Alexa, what’s the capital of [country or state]?” – Alexa can provide information about geography.
“Alexa, tell me a fact.” – Alexa will tell you a random fact.
“Alexa, what’s the definition of [word]?” – Alexa can provide definitions of words.
Ease of Communication (Calling, Messaging and Announcements)
Alexa communication features can be particularly beneficial for seniors who may have vision or dexterity challenges that make small screens and keyboards difficult to use. Here are some of the most popular voice commands for communication:
“Alexa, call [contact name].” – Alexa will make a call to the specified contact. For example, “Alexa, call John.” Note, users will need to upload the contacts from their phone before being able to use this feature.
“Alexa, answer.” – If you’re receiving a call through your Alexa device, this command will answer the call.
“Alexa, hang up.” or “Alexa, end the call.” – These commands will end the current call.
“Alexa, send a message to [contact name].” – Alexa will prompt you to record a message, which it will then send to the specified contact. For example, “Alexa, send a message to Sarah.”
“Alexa, read my messages.” – Alexa will read any new messages you’ve received.
“Alexa, announce that [message].” – Alexa will broadcast the specified message to all other Alexa devices on your account. This is useful for making announcements to others in your household. For example, “Alexa, announce that dinner is ready.”
“Alexa, drop in on [device or contact name].” – Alexa will start an audio call with the specified Alexa device or contact. This is useful for quickly starting conversations without needing the other party to answer. For example, “Alexa, drop in on the living room.”
Note, for privacy reasons, contacts must opt-in to communication services, and you can only call and message contacts who have signed up for Alexa Communication and have granted you permission to do so.
Reminders and Alarms
Forgetting important tasks or appointments can be a concern for anyone, but particularly for the elderly. Alexa makes it easy to set reminders and alarms with a simple voice command. Whether it’s a reminder to take medication, a prompt to call a family member, or an alarm to wake up from a nap, Alexa can help seniors independently keep track of their daily tasks and routines. Here are some of the most commonly used commands for setting reminders and alarms:
Reminders
“Alexa, remind me to [task] at [time].” – Alexa will set a reminder for the specified task at the specified time. For example, “Alexa, remind me to take my medication at 8 AM.”
“Alexa, remind me to [task] in [duration].” – Alexa will set a reminder for the specified task after the specified duration. For example, “Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 15 minutes.”
“Alexa, what are my reminders?” – Alexa will tell you what reminders you have set.
“Alexa, delete my [time] reminder.” – Alexa will delete the reminder for the specified time. For example, “Alexa, delete my 8 AM reminder.”
“Alexa, remind me every day at [time] to [task].” – Alexa will set a daily reminder for the specified task at the specified time. For example, “Alexa, remind me every day at 9 AM to walk the dog.”
“Alexa, remind me every [day of the week] at [time] to [task].” – Alexa will set a weekly reminder for the specified task at the specified time. For example, “Alexa, remind me every Friday at 3 PM to water the plants.”
Alarms
“Alexa, set an alarm for [time].” – Alexa will set an alarm for the specified time. For example, “Alexa, set an alarm for 7 AM.”
“Alexa, set a repeating alarm for [days] at [time].” – Alexa will set a repeating alarm for the specified days at the specified time. For example, “Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 8 AM.”
“Alexa, snooze.” – If an alarm is currently going off, this command will snooze the alarm for 9 minutes.
“Alexa, stop.” – If an alarm is currently going off, this command will stop the alarm.
“Alexa, what alarms do I have?” – Alexa will tell you what alarms you currently have set.
“Alexa, delete the [time] alarm.” – Alexa will delete the alarm set for the specified time. For example, “Alexa, delete the 7 AM alarm.”
“Alexa, set a timer for [duration].” – Although not technically an alarm, this command is often used like one. Alexa will set a timer for the specified duration. For example, “Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes.”
News and Information
Staying informed is easier than ever with Alexa. Just ask Alexa to read the day’s news headlines, or get traffic updates. Here are some of the most commonly used commands for news and information:
“Alexa, what’s the news?” – Alexa will give a brief summary of the latest news headlines.
* “Alexa, play my Flash Briefing.” – If you’ve customized your Flash Briefing in the Alexa app, this command will have Alexa read the news from your chosen sources.
“Alexa, what’s the latest in [topic]?” – Replace [topic] with something specific you’re interested in, like “world news”, “business”, “sports”, “technology”, etc. Alexa will give a summary of the latest news in that area.
“Alexa, play [news station].” – Replace [news station] with the name of a specific news radio station or podcast that you like. Alexa will start playing it if it’s available. For example, “Alexa, play NewsMax” or “Alexa, play Fox News.”
“Alexa, tell me the news from [news source].” – Replace [news source] with the name of a specific news outlet. Alexa will read the latest news from that source if it’s available. For example, “Alexa, tell me the news from NewsMax” or “Alexa, tell me the news from Fox News.”
* Did you know?
You can set up your Flash Briefing in the Alexa app to give you a quick rundown of things that interest you, such as the weather, news, traffic for your commute, and more. This means you no longer need to ask Alexa for selected information individually. Since the flash briefing is typically around 2-4 minutes long (some longer), you can stay informed of what matters to you the most in a short period of time. CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO SET UP YOUR FLASH BRIEFING
Entertainment
Be entertained by asking Alexa to play your favorite music. Or to have her tell you a joke. Alexa is known for her vast repertoire of jokes, riddles, and fun facts, making it a popular feature among seniors who enjoy a good laugh or a light-hearted moment. And for those who love books but have difficulty with physical books due to limited vision or mobility issues, Alexa can read books out loud, such as Kindle and Audible books (they must be linked to your Amazon account). Here are some of the most commonly used commands for entertainment:
Music
Here are some of the most commonly used commands for music:
“Alexa, play [song name].” – Alexa will play the specified song.
“Alexa, play [artist name].” – Alexa will play songs by the specified artist.
“Alexa, play [album name] album.” – Alexa will play the specified album.
“Alexa, play [genre] music.” – Alexa will play songs from the specified genre.
“Alexa, play [radio station].” – Alexa can tune into most radio stations.
“Alexa, play .” – If you have playlists set up on your music streaming service, Alexa can play them.
“Alexa, play music from the [decade/year].” – Alexa can play music from a specific time period.
“Alexa, play the song that goes [lyrics].” – If you don’t remember the name of a song, but know some of the lyrics, Alexa can usually find it.
“Alexa, turn up/down the volume.” – Alexa can adjust the volume of music.
“Alexa, stop.” – This command will stop the music.
Jokes
“Alexa, tell me a joke.” – Alexa will tell a random joke.
“Alexa, tell me a knock-knock joke.” – Alexa will tell a knock-knock joke.
“Alexa, tell me a dad joke.” – Alexa will tell a “dad joke,” which is typically a wholesome, pun-filled joke.
“Alexa, make me laugh.” – Alexa will say something intended to be funny.
“Alexa, tell me something funny.” – Similar to the previous command, Alexa will say a joke or a funny fact.
“Alexa, tell me a riddle.” – Alexa will tell a riddle, and you can try to solve it.
“Alexa, tell me a fun fact.” – Alexa will share an interesting or amusing fact.
Books
“Alexa, read [book title].” – Alexa will start playing the specified audiobook from your Audible library.
“Alexa, play my book.” – Alexa will resume playing the last audiobook you were listening to.
“Alexa, read my Kindle book.” – Alexa can read books aloud from your Kindle library using text-to-speech technology. Note that this is different from playing audiobooks, and the reading quality might not be as high.
“Alexa, pause.” – This command will pause the audiobook.
“Alexa, resume.” – This command will resume the audiobook.
“Alexa, go back/forward.” – This command will make Alexa go back or forward in the book.
“Alexa, next chapter.” – This command will skip to the next chapter.
“Alexa, previous chapter.” – This command will go back to the previous chapter.
Fire TV
Amazon’s Fire TV can be controlled using Alexa, which can make navigating the device much easier, especially for seniors. Here are some of the most commonly used voice commands:
“Alexa, watch [TV show name].” – Alexa will find the specified TV show and start playing it.
“Alexa, play [movie name].” – Alexa will find the specified movie and start playing it.
“Alexa, search for [actor/actress/director] movies.” – Alexa will search for movies featuring the specified actor/actress or directed by the specified director.
“Alexa, find [genre] movies.” – Alexa will search for movies in the specified genre.
“Alexa, open [app name].” – Alexa will open the specified app on your Fire TV.
“Alexa, pause.” – Alexa will pause the currently playing video.
“Alexa, play.” – Alexa will play or resume the currently selected video.
“Alexa, rewind/fast-forward.” – Alexa will rewind or fast-forward the currently playing video.
“Alexa, next/previous episode.” – If you’re watching a TV series, Alexa can go to the next or previous episode.
“Alexa, turn on subtitles.” – Alexa can enable subtitles for the currently playing video.
“Alexa, go home.” – Alexa will return to the Fire TV home screen.
Note, your Fire TV must be connected to the same Amazon account as your Alexa device.
Smart Home Control
Controlling smart home devices with Amazon’s Alexa is becoming increasingly popular, especially among seniors. It allows them to manage their home environment with simple voice commands, which can be particularly beneficial for those with mobility issues. During setup of any device you will give it a name, which will be the name used to control the device through Alexa voice commands, such as, “Alexa, turn on/off the [device name].”. Here are some of the most commonly used commands to control a smart home:
“Alexa, turn on/off the lights.” – If you have smart light bulbs installed, Alexa can control them.
“Alexa, dim the lights to [percentage].” – Alexa can also adjust the brightness of smart light bulbs.
“Alexa, set the temperature to [desired temperature].” – With a smart thermostat, Alexa can adjust the temperature of the home.
“Alexa, turn on/off the TV.” – If your TV is connected to a smart plug or if you have a smart TV that is compatible with Alexa, you can control it with voice commands.
“Alexa, lock the front door.” – If you have a smart lock, Alexa can lock it for you.
“Alexa, close the garage door.” – With a smart garage door opener, Alexa can close the garage door.
“Alexa, show me the front door camera.” – If you have a smart camera at your front door and a compatible Echo device with a screen, Alexa can show you the camera feed.
“Alexa, play [music] in the living room.” – If you have multiple Echo devices or other compatible smart speakers, you can control where the music is played.
Note, for these commands to work, you need to have the corresponding smart home devices installed and connected to your Alexa device. Also, these devices need to be properly named in your Alexa app for her to understand which device you want to control. For example, if you’ve named your smart light bulb in the living room, “Living Room Light,” you would say, “Alexa, turn on the Living Room Light.”
Shopping and To-do Lists
Alexa offers several commands related to managing lists, whether it be a shopping list or a to-do list. The following commands will help seniors stay organized and keep track of their lists:
Shopping List
To Start a Shopping List – Say “Alexa, create a new shopping list.” Alexa will confirm that a new list called “Shopping” has been created.
“Alexa, add [item] to my shopping list.” – Alexa will add the specified item to your shopping list.
“Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?” – Alexa will read out the items currently on your shopping list.
“Alexa, remove [item] from my shopping list.” – Alexa will remove the specified item from your shopping list.
“Alexa, clear my shopping list.” – Alexa will remove all items from your shopping list.
“Alexa, create a new list.” – This command creates a new list. Alexa will prompt you to name the list.
“Alexa, add [item] to my [list name] list.” – If you have multiple lists, this command lets you add an item to a specific list.
“Alexa, what’s on my [list name] list?” – This command lets you review a specific list.
“Alexa, remove [item] from my [list name] list.” – This command lets you remove an item from a specific list.
“Alexa, clear my [list name] list.” – This command lets you clear a specific list.
“Alexa, buy [item].” – This command will search for the item on Amazon and provide the option to purchase it directly.
“Alexa, reorder [item].” – If you’ve ordered the item before, Alexa can reorder it from Amazon.
“Alexa, track my order.” – Alexa can provide updates on your Amazon orders if you’ve linked your Amazon account.
To-Do Lists
“Alexa, create a new to-do list named [list name].” – This command allows you to create a new to-do list with a specific name.
“Alexa, add [task] to my [list name] list.” – If you have multiple to-do lists, this command lets you add a task to a specific list.
“Alexa, what’s on my [list name] list?” – This command lets you review a specific to-do list.
“Alexa, remove [task] from my [list name] list.” – This command lets you remove a task from a specific list.
“Alexa, clear my [list name] list.” – This command lets you clear a specific to-do list.
“Alexa, move [task] to my [list name] list.” – This command lets you move a task from one list to another.
“Alexa, what are my tasks for today?” – This command lets you review the tasks due for the current day.
“Alexa, what are my tasks for tomorrow?” – This command lets you review the tasks due for the next day.
Health and Fitness
Many seniors are focused on staying healthy and active. Alexa can help with this too, from tracking steps if connected to a fitness device, to starting a guided workout. Alexa can be a valuable tool in supporting a senior’s health and wellness goals. Here are some of the most commonly used health and fitness commands :
“Alexa, start a 7-minute workout.” – Alexa will guide you through a quick, effective workout.
“Alexa, what’s my step count?” – If you’ve synced Alexa with a fitness tracking device or app, she can tell you how many steps you’ve taken today.
“Alexa, find a yoga routine.” – Alexa can guide you through a yoga session.
“Alexa, start a meditation.” – Alexa can lead a short, guided meditation.
“Alexa, how many calories are in [food item]?” – Alexa can provide nutritional information about a specific food item.
“Alexa, set a reminder to work out at [time].” – Alexa can remind you when it’s time to exercise.
“Alexa, give me a health tip.” – Alexa can provide general health tips.
“Alexa, what’s the health benefit of [food/ activity]?” – Alexa can provide information on the health benefits of certain foods or activities.
“Alexa, track my run.” – If you’ve synced Alexa with a fitness tracking device or app, she can track your running workout.
“Alexa, how much water should I drink today?” – Alexa can provide general guidelines on daily water intake.
Note, Alexa’s ability to provide accurate health and fitness information might depend on the skills you have enabled and the devices you have linked to your Alexa. Always remember to consult with a healthcare provider for personalized medical advice.
Food and Recipes
“Alexa, find a recipe for [dish].” – Alexa will search for a recipe for the specified dish.
“Alexa, how do I make [dish]?” – Similar to the previous command, Alexa will provide a recipe for the specified dish.
“Alexa, give me a recipe using [ingredient].” – Alexa will find recipes that include the specified ingredient.
“Alexa, find [type of cuisine] recipes.” – Alexa will find recipes related to the specified cuisine (e.g., Italian, Mexican, Chinese, etc.).
“Alexa, add [ingredient] to my shopping list.” – Alexa will add the specified ingredient to your shopping list.
“Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?” – Alexa will read out the items currently on your shopping list.
“Alexa, set a timer for [amount of time].” – Alexa will set a timer, which can be very useful when cooking.
“Alexa, how many calories are in [food item]?” – Alexa can provide nutritional information about a specific food item.
“Alexa, convert [unit] to [unit].” – Alexa can help with unit conversions, which can be very useful when following a recipe.
“Alexa, how long does it take to cook [food item]?” – Alexa can provide general cooking times for various food items.
Alexa’s voice recognition technology is not just a convenience—it’s a tool that can empower seniors, promote independence, and enhance their quality of life. By simplifying tasks, providing easy access to information, and supporting daily routines, Alexa is making technology more accessible and user-friendly than ever before. Please let us know if you have any questions, or would like for us to write a blog on any of the specific capabilities or commands mentioned in this article. That’s what we’re here for 😀
