Connecting Seniors to 

Care: Implementing Amazon Alexa 

Technology into the Homes of Meals on Wheels 

(MOW) Clients

Appendix Documents
Table of Contents

Appendix A – Recruitment – Study Team – Call Script................................................................................................ 3

Appendix B – Drivers – Client Handout..................................................................................................................................... 4

Appendix C – Drivers – Recruitment Script........................................................................................................................... 5

Appendix D – Drivers – Template for Recording ............................................................................................................... 6

Appendix E – Study Team – Client Study Agreement................................................................................................... 7

Appendix F – Amazon Echo Show 8 Data Requirements............................................................................................ 8

Appendix G – Installation – Client – Alexa Virtual Assistant.................................................................................... 9

Appendix H – Study Team - Detailed Device.....................................................................................................................10

Appendix I – Installation – Study Team – Alexa Commands..................................................................................11

Appendix J – Phase 2 – Study Team – Call Script ..........................................................................................................12

Appendix K – Phase 2 – Study Team – Technology Acceptance .......................................................................13

Appendix L – End of Study – Study Team Process .........................................................................................................14

Appendix M – End of Study – Study Team – How to Reset Alexa .......................................................................15

Appendix N – End of Study – Study Team – Questions Sheet...............................................................................16
Appendix A – Recruitment – Study Team – Call Script
Page 1 of 2 

Cohort #2 Recruitment Script

Hello Mr./Ms. _____________,

This is [STATE YOUR NAME] from Meals on Wheels of Interfaith Ministries for Greater

Houston.

[wait for response]

We are conducting a 12-week study that assesses how our clients use smart devices. In this

study, we will be installing Amazon Echo Show devices for our participants. With this device,

we will evaluate usage as well as conduct surveys that will allow us to better understand

individual needs.

Do you have WIFI in your home? (Yes response) Do you know or have access to your WIFI

name and password if you were to become part of the study? (Yes response) Would you be 

okay with us connecting the Amazon Echo Show 8 Device to your WIFI? (Yes response,

continue)

With Alexa, you can ask her about the weather, to play music, tell time, view recipes and

more. Halfway through the study, we will provide you a menu that will offer additional features,

such as exercises, games and spiritual services and an option to contact your caregiver.

You will continue to receive meals on a regular basis from Meals on Wheels throughout the

study.

After the study, you may keep Alexa as thanks for participating in the study.

All that we ask is that we are able to connect the Amazon Echo Show 8 Device to your home 

WIFI and that you use the device as best as you can. This will better enable us to understand 

how individuals use it on a daily basis.

Would you be interested in participating in this study? (yes, no) Do you want to include the 

ability to contact your caregiver? If yes, what is the name, relationship and phone number so

we may contact him/her.

Do you have any questions or concerns?

Thank you so much for your time!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If client does not answer leave a voicemail:

Hello Mr/Mrs (blank) this is (your name) with Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, Meals on

Wheels. We are conducting a 12 week study that assesses how our clients use smart devices.

In this study we will be installing Amazon echo show devices for our participants. We will

evaluate usage as well as conduct surveys that will allow us to better understand individual

needs . If you are interested in participating in this study, call us back at (phone number). Thank 

you!

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, 

D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not,

therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Page 2 of 2 

FAQ

● What can I use this device for?

○ This device comes with a variety of built-in applications and games. You can use

this device to listen to the news, watch exercise videos, listen to music, and even

learn new recipes for your favorite meals! Honestly, anything that you want. If

you are interested in learning more about these, please refer to the study

handout provided listing out some of the features. Additionally, if there’s a feature

not available with the device and would like to see it included, please feel free to

reach out to use at: (Phone Number) (________)

● Can I purchase products/services through the device?

○ Unfortunately, you cannot purchase any products or services through the device.

However, if there is a feature or product that you would like to be included please

reach out to us and we can attempt to find a solution

● Will I stop receiving meals from Meals on Wheels if I decide to quit the study?

○ No, these are two separate services. You will NOT stop receiving meals from

Meal on Wheels if you decide to withdraw from the study at any given time.

● What happens if I decide to quit throughout the study?

○ You will continue to receive meals through Meals on Wheels and a research

member will come by your residency to collect the Amazon Echo Show 8 Device

and its components if you do not complete the study in its entirety.

● What if I don’t want to keep the device?

○ Not a problem either, a member from the research team will come to your house

and remove the device and all accompanying accessories.

● What kind of information will this device be gathering from me?

○ This device will not gather any personal or health-related information from the

participant. It will only gather information regarding daily use such as which

applications or games are opened the most by the user, etc. Additionally, the

answers to the survey questions are confidential and kept within a secure

database.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, 

D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not,

therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix B – Drivers – Client Handout
Meals on Wheels 

Alexa Pilot Program

Have you ever used Alexa? It’s an amazing box that sits on your table and can talk with you, play 

music for you, tell you the time or weather. You can even do safe exercises, play games, watch 

worship services and reach out to your caregivers and family members. You can do all this by 

talking to Alexa and she will help you. It’s like having a friend with you all the time. You can get 

one free as a Meals on Wheels client. If you will tell us how you liked it and what you did with it 

after about 12 weeks, we will let you keep the Alexa as a gift from IM.

What Can I do 

with Alexa?

• Listen to music

• Search up recipes

• Get weather reports

• Set reminders

• And much more!

To Get Started

Alexa brings the world to your 

living room every day. It’s an 

awesome deal. Are you ready 

for Meals on Wheels to install a 

device in your home?

Qualifications:

• Are you willing to have fun listening to music and

playing games?

• Must have WiFi internet service in your home and know

your password for connecting to WiFi,

• In 12 weeks, a Meals on Wheels representative will ask

you what you think of the Alexa device.

• If you have had plenty of fun with the Alexa device with

an 8” color screen, we will ask you for feedback about

your favorite features.

• The Alexa device (valued at $129) is yours to keep forever

as a gift from Meals on Wheels, with no cost to you.

To get started, tell your Meals on Wheels 

driver. Questions? Call 713-533-4994.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and 

conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix C – Drivers – Recruitment Script
Page 1 of 2 

IMGH MOW Drivers 

Alexa Project Needs Your Help

Please assist us in identifying clients to participate in the Alexa Project. 

We are looking for clients that:

 Have suitable living conditions (i.e., no hazardous wiring)

 Has their own Internet/ Wi-Fi

 Knows network name and password of Wi-Fi

 Are willing to use Alexa’s functions to its full potential

 Are okay with 1-2 people coming into the house to install Alexa

(with masks on)

Give the client a flyer if you believe they meet the basic 

requirements and they are interested, take down their information

and have them sign your signup sheet. Let them know they will be 

contacted within a few days to go over the information and set up an 

appointment for the Alexa to be installed.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Page 2 of 2 

Frequently Asked Questions:

● What can I use this device for?

○ This device comes with a variety of built-in applications and games. You can use

this device to listen to the news, watch exercise videos, listen to music, and even

learn new recipes for your favorite meals! Honestly, anything that you want. If

you are interested in learning more about these, please refer to the study handout

provided listing out some of the features. Additionally, if there’s a feature not

available with the device and would like to see it included, please feel free to

reach out to use at: 713-533-4994

● Can I purchase products/services through the device?

○ Unfortunately, you cannot purchase any products or services through the device.

However, if there is a feature or product that you would like to be included please

reach out to us and we can attempt to find a solution

● Will I stop receiving meals from Meals on Wheels if I decide to quit the

study?

○ No, these are two separate services. You will NOT stop receiving meals from

Meal on Wheels if you decide to withdraw from the study at any given time.

● What happens if I decide to quit throughout the study?

○ You will continue to receive meals through Meals on Wheels and a research

member will come by your residency to collect the Amazon Echo Show 8 Device

and its components if you do not complete the study in its entirety.

● What if I don’t want to keep the device?

○ Not a problem either, a member from the research team will come to your house

and remove the device and all accompanying accessories.

● What kind of information will this device be gathering from me?

○ This device will NOT gather any personal or health-related information from the

participant. All participants will remain anonymous and the information collected

will be about how Alexa is used on a daily basis. Additionally, the answers to the

survey questions are confidential.

● What happens at the end of the study?

○ We will interview the client and reset Alexa to factory defaults. The client gets to

install it for themselves and keep Alexa for their personal use.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix D – Drivers – Template for Recording
IMGH MOW Drivers - Recruitment for Alexa Program

Driver:

Route: Date:

Servtracker 

ID

First Name Last Name Phone # Client Signature

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings 

and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix E – Study Team – Client Study Agreement
Page 1 of 1 

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston

Meals on Wheels Alexa Study Agreement

I, __________________________________ (print client’s name) promise 

to utilize the Amazon Echo Show 8 device to the best of my ability during 

the 12-week period for the study. During this time, I will not tamper with the 

device in a manner that will compromise the study. I am aware that I will be 

using my own personal WIFI during this study and am solely responsible 

for the internet charges I receive from my company. I promise not to pay or 

subscribe to any paid services or conduct any in-app purchases. Once the 

study has concluded, a member of the study team will come by my home to 

reset the Amazon Echo Show 8 device for my own personal use (if I so 

desire) and Alexa will be complimentary for participating in the study. I 

understand that after the 12-week study is complete, any questions 

regarding technical issues that I encounter with Alexa will be directed 

to Amazon customer service.

Client’s Printed Name: _________________________________________

Client’s Assigned Study Number: _______________________

Client Device Number: _______________________

Client’s Signature: __________________________ Date: _________________

If applicable:

Caregiver Name: _______________________

Caregiver Phone Number: _______________________

Study Member Signature: _________________________ Date: _________________

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix F – Amazon Echo Show 8 Data Requirements
November 22, 2021 as created by JAH 1 of 3 

Alexa Show 8 data requirements from Wireless Internet and in-home Data Plan

options Review (as of November 2021)

Alexa requires 512 Kbps (0.51 Mbps)1 minimum internet speed. Study has shown “on average, Alexa 

uses 36MB of bandwidth per day (or 252MB of bandwidth per week | 1.08GB per month). This average is 

based on the following daily usage: 30 minutes of music streaming, two smart-home commands, one 

weather inquiry and one question” 2

Currently, the FCC minimum requirement is 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload3 for Broadband

Internet.

Possible Low-cost Internet options for Seniors in Houston: 4

Comcast/Xfinity Internet Essentials Home Internet Plan5: 

• $9.95 per month plus fees

• To qualify, must be part of:

o MEDICAID: card or most recent eligibility letter for any member of your household.

o Public housing assistance documentation such as your lease, housing assistance

payment (HAP) contract, or eligibility documentation from HUD.

o SNAP: letter indicating you are approved for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

benefits.

o TANF: eligibility letter for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

o SSI: eligibility letter for Supplemental Security Income.

o NSLP/Head Start: copy of a letter indicating current participation in the National School

Lunch Program or Head Start, with your child's name, the school name, and the address

of where you are requesting service.

o LIHEAP: letter confirming your eligibility for Low Income Home Energy Assistance

Program.

o WIC: eligibility letter for the Women, Infants, and Children program.

o FEDERAL PELL GRANT: documentation from your institution’s financial aid office.

o VA PENSION: veterans pension eligibility determination letter from the Veterans

Administration.

o Tribal assistance eligibility letter, including TTANF, FDPIR, etc.

• 50 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload6

• Does NOT have a data limit7

AT&T8

• SNAP participation9

• 25 Mbps download10

• $10 per month plus fees10

• 150GB data limit per month10

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program11 

• “The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program will provide a discount of up to $50 per

month for broadband services for eligible consumers”11
November 22, 2021 as created by JAH 2 of 3 

o Qualifies for the FCC’s Lifeline program, including those who are on Medicaid or receive

SNAP benefits,

o Was approved for the free or reduced-price school breakfast/lunch program in the

2019-20, 2020-21, or 2021-22 school year, including through the USDA Community

Eligibility Provision,

o Experienced substantial documented loss of income since February 29, 2020 with a total

household income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers,

o Received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year, or

o Qualifies for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 relief program,

subject to FCC approval of that provider’s eligibility process.

• “The Emergency Broadband Benefit is temporary. It will expire when funds are exhausted or six

months after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declares the end of the

COVID-19 health emergency”11

• Benefit can be used for most Internet carriers including broadband and wireless

Possible Issues with the Alexa having a poor internet connection and unable to function12: 
November 22, 2021 as created by JAH 3 of 3 

Conclusion:

The minimum broadband plan of any major carrier will meet the needs of Alexa. If issues arise, could be

related to outdated hardware (modem/router/etc.) and would be advised to run a speed test of the 

current Wi-Fi to see if below 1mbps. https://www.speedtest.net/

1

https://developer.amazon.com/pt-BR/docs/alexa/alexa-smart-properties/alexa-for-hospitalitynetworking-best-practices.html

2

https://goodhomeautomation.com/how-much-bandwidth-does-alexa-use/

3

https://broadbandnow.com/report/fcc-broadband-definition/

4

https://dailycaring.com/7-sources-of-low-cost-internet-for-seniors/

5

https://www.internetessentials.com/

6

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/02/comcast-lifts-uploads-to-5mbps-amid-complaints-itslow-income-plan-is-too-slow/

7

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/data-usage-what-is-the-terabyte-data-usage-plan

8

https://www.att.com/shop/internet/access/index.html

9

https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility/elderly-disabled-special-rules

10https://www.everyoneon.org/find-offers

11https://www.usac.org/about/emergency-broadband-benefit-program/

12https://mashable.com/article/low-income-internet-comcast

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix G – Installation – Client – Alexa Virtual 

Assistant
Page 1 of 2 

Meals on Wheels: ALEXA Virtual Assistant Guide

For Privacy:

I want to: I need to: I will see: 

Turn OFF microphone

Push the button below.

A red line = Alexa cannot hear you

Extra privacy tips:

1) Avoid mentioning real names of medications. Suggestion: “Remind me to take my morning medicine.” 

2) Avoid mentioning sensitive personal information like scheduling a reminder for a medical appointment. 

Suggestion: “Remind me to make an appointment with my doctor in The Medical Center.” 

3) Keep camera closed.

To Talk to Alexa:

I want to: I need to: I will see: 

Turn ON microphone

Push to activate microphone and the red light will go 

away, then say “Alexa”.

A blue line = Alexa hears you

Alexa Needs Troubleshooting When:

A gold line = Alexa NOT connected to the network
Page 2 of 2

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO USE ALEXA

I want to: I need to say:

See the Weather “Alexa, how is the weather in Houston?” 

OR “Alexa, will it rain today?” 

OR “Alexa, notify me of severe weather alerts?”

Know the Time “Alexa, what time is it?” 

OR “Alexa what time is it in California?”

Play Music “Alexa, play Gospel music.” 

OR “Hey Alexa, play Elvis radio.”

Hear the Bible “Alexa read me today’s Bible verse.”

Set Reminders “Alexa, remind me to take my medicine in an 

hour.”

Set an Alarm “Alexa, set an alarm for 7am every morning.”

Hear a Joke “Alexa, tell me a joke.”

Know a Holiday “Alexa, when is Easter? 

OR “Alexa, what day is Thanksgiving this year?”

Know Information “Alexa, what is the number/business hours to 

Interfaith Ministries?”

Learn to Bake “Alexa, show me the recipe for a western 

omelet.”

Entertainment “Alexa, tell me a quote from Star Wars.”

Learn Facts “Alexa, when did Texas gain its independence?”

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects 

with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix H – Study Team - Detailed Device
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 1 of 6 

Connecting Seniors to Care Project: Alexa for Hospitality 

Installation Guide

The following guide will illustrate a general step-by-step procedure for the registration of 

the Amazon Echo Show 8 (powered by Alexa) device to the Alexa for Hospitality network. The 

Amazon Echo Show 8 will be referred to as “Alexa device”. 

Important notes: 

• Deregister device => back to factory settings and consumer device (***AVOID AT 

ALL COSTS***) 

o Registration is the process to connect an Alexa device to a hospitality

platform/network

• Disassociate device => is ok, will just pop up on the list of available devices 

o Associations are between Alexa devices and a ‘room’

 Can be relocated from room to room without deregistration

DEVICE (AMAZON ECHO SHOW 8) 

• Turn on device (plug in) 

• General device settings (these are standard settings that need to be managed 

when turning on the device) 

o Choose language 

o Connect to the network -> Add local Wi-Fi Network:

 May change the network name when switching networks (e.g., 

local wi-fi, hotspot) 

o Sign into existing Amazon Smart Properties account (do not create a new 

account) 

 The device will now show the prompt “Hi Alexa Project Admin” 

• Once logged in click continue 

• Confirm time zone 

o North America, central daylight time (e.g., Chicago) 

o Click continue 

• Where is your Echo Show 8 device? 

o Address 

o Country: United States- Save

• Which room is your Echo Show 8 device in? 

o Skip (continue) 

• Give this device a name: Default: Alexa’s Echo Show

o Skip (continue) 

• Choose wallpaper 

o Select Nature- Continue 

Do not download the latest Alexa application on your phone; give it a minute and skip 

• Disable Amazon Sidewalk: Select Disable
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 2 of 6 

• Disable Amazon Music: Select No Thanks

• The next steps are to be completed on a web browser (use Chrome) 

o WEBSITE: www.amazon.com/alexahospitality/newconsole/properties 

• Go to the website listed above and sign in 

• Under the properties heading, select the PROD – Meals on Wheels link 

o PROD – production 

o QA – quality assessment 

Select the “Rooms” tab on the left panel
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 3 of 6 

Create a room (top right corner) 

Room name: ACL CSC Room #_ (include #)- Click Create
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 4 of 6 

Click “Edit”: 

From the template drop down menu, select “MOW PROD Rollout Template” and 

SAVE

Once the room is successfully created, a green pop up on the top will appear 

indicating it was successfully created
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 5 of 6 

TO DO AFTER Alexa has been assigned and installed at Client’s Home 

Once the room is successfully created, scroll down on the same page and select 

“Associate devices” (bottom right corner)

The device serial number should pop up on the list and select it. Click next twice, 

then submit. 

The device is now registered and ready
Cohort 2 Installation Instructions

Page 6 of 6 

Miscellaneous Notes: 

• Deregister device => back to factory settings and consumer device (***AVOID AT 

ALL COSTS***) 

-Disassociate device => is ok, will just pop up on the list of available devices 

-When study course is over => deregister then reset to factory setting

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix I – Installation – Study Team – Alexa 

Commands
Page 1 of 4 

Alexa Available Features

For all features you can start all sentences with “Alexa...” followed by whichever action you 

would like it to do. Some examples below:

"Alexa, mute" or, "Alexa, unmute." 

Stop or pause: "Alexa, stop" or, "Alexa, shut up."

Change volume: "Alexa, set the volume to 5," "Alexa, louder" or "Alexa, turn up/down the 

volume." A4H (all of these commands work and you can also set the volume to 10 or 0 by 

stating the number) Regular (all of the previous commands work for the regular Alexa too)

Feel Free to ask Alexa any of the following!

● Movie showtimes

● Forecast and weather

● Recipes

● Set a timer or an alarm

● Ask the date or day

● Specific song, artist, or album

● "Alexa, wake me up every day at 8 am to music" allows users to set their mornings off

right with music from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Vevo

● Create reminders by saying for example: "Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5

minutes."

● Ask for current events or news

● Traffic

● Movie quotes

● Verse from a religious text

● Operating hours or a phone number for a business

● Converting units; "Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?"

● Basic math or advanced math (factorials etc)

● Flipping a coin, rolling a die, pick a number, etc

● Sports game updates or results

● Holidays

● Just about anything and everything you can imagine!
Page 2 of 4 

Basic commands 

• Mute or unmute: "Alexa, mute" or, "Alexa, unmute."

• Stop or pause: "Alexa, stop"

• Change volume: "Alexa, set the volume to 5," "Alexa, louder" or "Alexa, turn up/down the

volume."

• Coronavirus commands

o Ask for coronavirus information: "Alexa, what is the coronavirus?"

o Ask for help timing your handwashing for 20 seconds: "Alexa, help me wash my

hands."

• Music

o Queue specific song or artist: "Alexa, play music by [artist]."

o Play a song based on context: "Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album" or

"Alexa, play that song that goes 'speak lyric.'"

o Music controls: "Alexa, play" or "Alexa, next."

o "Alexa, wake me up every day at 8 am to music" allows users to set their mornings

off right with music from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Vevo.

o Play a bedtime story: "Alexa, open Storytime"

• Timer and Alarms

o Set a sleep timer: "Alexa set a sleep timer for 45 minutes" or "Alexa, stop playing in

45 minutes."

o Time and date

o Set an alarm: "Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m." or "Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the

morning."

o Set a music alarm: "Alexa, wake me up to [artist, song, genre, playlist or album] at 8

a.m.," "Alexa, set an alarm to Band of Horses" or "Alexa, wake me up to Kiss FM on

TuneIn."

o Set a repeating alarm: "Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m."

o Set a timer: "Alexa, timer" or "Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes."

o Create a named timer: "Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes."

o Set multiple timers: "Alexa, set a second timer for 5 minutes."

o Check timer status: "Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?" or "Alexa,

what are my timers?"

o Cancel a timer: "Alexa, cancel the pizza timer" or "Alexa, cancel the 15-minute

timer."

o Ask the time: "Alexa, what time is it?"

o Ask the date: "Alexa, what's the date?"

o Ask when the next alarm is: "Alexa, when's my next alarm?”

o Cancel an alarm: "Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m."

o Check dates: "Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?”

o Create a reminder: "Alexa, reminder" or "Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5

minutes."
Page 3 of 4 

o Check on existing reminders: "Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?" or

"Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?"

• News and weather

o Add music news to your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, enable Today in Music."

o Check headlines: "Alexa, what's in the news?"

o Check weather: "Alexa, what's the weather like?" or "Alexa, will it rain today?" You

can also ask "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?"

o Get a weather forecast: "Alexa, what's the weather going to be like this weekend?

o Get traffic information: "Alexa, what's my commute look like?" or "Alexa, what's

traffic like?"

• Entertainment

o Find movies in nearby theaters: "Alexa, what movies are playing?" or "Alexa, what

action movies are playing tonight?"

o Get information on movies playing: "Alexa, tell me about the movie [title].

o Get casting for a movie or show: "Alexa, who plays in [movie or TV show]?"

o Find out who an actor is: "Alexa, who plays [character] in [movie or TV show]?"

o Find an actor's latest work: "Alexa, what is [actor]'s latest movie?"

o Find out who sings a particular song: "Who sings the song [title]?"

o Get the names of band members: "Who is in the band [name]?"

o Get album information: "What year did [band] release [song or album]?"

o Find popular music from an artist: "Alexa, what's popular from [artist]?"

o Find a particular album or song: "Alexa, find [song or album] by [artist]."

• Food and businesses

o Get operating hours or a phone number for local businesses: "Alexa, find the address

for Bank of America" or "Alexa, find business hours for Harris Teeter."

• Math

o Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?"

o Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in 2 [units]?"

o Basic math: "Alexa, what's 5 plus 7?" or "Alexa, what's 56 times 33?"

• Settle a score

o Roll a die: "Alexa, roll a die" or, "Alexa, roll a 26-sided die."

o Flip a coin: "Alexa, flip a coin."

o Pick a number: "Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 50."

• Definitions and spelling

o Get the definition of a word: "Alexa, what's the definition of [word]?"

o Get the spelling of a word: "Alexa, how do you spell [word]?"

• Sports
Page 4 of 4 

o Check the results of a finished game: "Alexa, what was the score of the [team]

game?"

o Ask if a team won: "Alexa, did the [team] win?"

o Ask when the next game is scheduled: "Alexa, when do the [team] play next?"

o Find out the results of your favorite teams: "Alexa, give me my Sports Update."

o Get league standings: "Alexa, what are the MLB standings?"

• Search

o Get Wikipedia information: "Alexa, Wikipedia: [subject]."

o Tell Alexa to continue reading a Wikipedia entry: "Alexa, tell me more."

o Ask a general question: "Alexa, how tall is [person or object's name]?"

o Get a "Game of Thrones" quote: "Alexa, give me a 'Game of Thrones' quote."

• Holidays

o Find out when a holiday is: "Alexa, when is [holiday]?"

o Holiday limerick: "Alexa, tell me a holiday limerick."

o Learn about a holiday: "Alexa, why do we celebrate [holiday]?"

o Ask about Santa: "Alexa, how old is Santa Claus?" "Alexa, is Santa Claus real?" or

"Alexa, where does Santa Claus live?"

o Ask about Santa's reindeer: "Alexa, who's your favorite reindeer?" "Alexa, what can

you tell me about Santa's reindeer?" or "Alexa, what do you know about Rudolph the

red-nosed reindeer?"

o Sing a Christmas carol: "Alexa, sing a Christmas carol."

o Have Alexa read "The Night Before Christmas": "Alexa, read "The Night Before

Christmas."

o Spin the dreidel: "Alexa, spin the dreidel."

o Ask for holiday jokes: "Alexa, open my gift," "Alexa, how ugly is your/my holiday

sweater?" or "Alexa, tell me a snowman joke."

o Ask for holiday movies?: "Alexa, what's your favorite holiday movie?" or "Alexa,

what are the top holiday movies?"

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, 

D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not,

therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix J – Phase 2 – Study Team – Call Script
Page 1 of 2 

Phase 2 Study Team Preliminary Call Script

DETERMINE IF CLIENT HAS A CAREGIVER ON RECORD OR NOT

Good morning Mr./Mrs. ______________

This is [STATE YOUR NAME] from Meals on Wheels of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. Thank 

you for being a participant in our Alexa Pilot Program. I am calling to inform you that you are starting 

Phase 2 of the pilot study, which means you will have new added features to your device. 

Before we get started however, we would like to ask you a couple of questions: 

1. Technology Acceptance Measures

Perceived Ease of 

Use 

Question #1: Do you find the Alexa Echo 

Show device to be easy to use? 

Strongly agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

disagree

Perceived Ease of 

Use Continued

Question #2: Do you find it easy to get 

the Alexa Echo Show to do what you want it 

to do?

Strongly agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

disagree

Behavioral Intention Question #3: Given that you have access to 

the Alexa Echo Show, do you intend to use 

it?

Strongly agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

disagree

Computer SelfEfficacyQuestion #4: Do you think you could use the 

Alexa Echo Show if you had no one around to 

tell you what to do?

Strongly agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

disagree

Perceived 

Enjoyment

Question #5: Do you find using the Alexa 

Echo Show device to be enjoyable? 

Strongly agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

disagree

2. Caregiver

a. Does the client have a caregiver? If yes, request contact information or confirm with

previous records.

i. We can also include a new feature in this phase that allows you to contact your

caregiver directly from the Alexa device, would you be interested in learning more about

this feature?

ii. It is called OnGuardian and it is a built-in app that allows users to send text messages to

their caregivers directly from their Alexa device.

b. We will contact your caregiver to confirm this information and we will proceed to add this

added function to your device. We will give you a call next week to let you know that this

function is working as expected.
Page 2 of 2 

Thank you so much for this information. Let’s talk about the new added features for phase 2:

1. To enable these new features, go to your device and say “Hey Alexa, start Meals on Wheels

program”

2. From here, you will see a new menu pop up and Alexa can be directed by either clicking on the

device’s screen, or giving it voice commands.

3. With these new features, you can now browse different spiritual services, exercise routines, and

interactive brain games directly from Alexa.

4. If you want to go back to the home screen, you can just say “Alexa, take me to the home screen”

Thank you so much for participating in this study. We will continue to add new features and expand on 

the usability of Alexa throughout the study, all of which will become available to you through the device. 

If you have any questions regarding this study or how to use Alexa, feel free to call our office at (phone 

number). 

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix K – Phase 2 – Study Team – Technology 

Acceptance
Technology Acceptance Measures

Perceived Ease of 

Use 

I find the Alexa Echo Show to be easy 

to use.

Strongly Agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

Disagree

Perceived Ease of 

Use Continued

I find it easy to get the Alexa Echo Show 

to do what I want it to do.

Strongly Agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

Disagree

Behavioral Intention Given that I have access to the Alexa 

Echo Show, I intend to use it.

Strongly Agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

Disagree

Computer SelfEfficacyI could use the Alexa Echo Show if I had 

no one around to tell me what to do as I 

go.

Strongly Agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

Disagree

Perceived Enjoyment I find using the Alexa Echo Show to 

be enjoyable.

Strongly Agree, Agree, 

Neutral, Disagree, Strongly 

Disagree

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.

 IRB NUMBER: 

HSC-MS-20-0857 IRB APPROVAL 

DATE: 09/25/2020
Appendix L – End of Study – Study Team Process
Page 1 of 1 

Alexa Project Cohort 2

End of Study (EOS)

Prior to EOS Visit

1. Call client and thank them for participating in the program.

2. Conduct final Technology Acceptance Measure survey

3. Inform them that Alexa needs to be reset and schedule a day for that.

4. Also let the client know that an hour or so before the reset time, Alexa may act up, tell them to

not follow any prompt given by Alexa (because the room disassociation will cause Alexa to ask

for account information).

5. Make sure client understands they will need an active Amazon account (tied to an email address)

to continue using Alexa (Amazon accounts are free to create)

Day of Alexa Reset

1. Disassociate Alexa from A4H room 30-45 minutes prior to appointment

2. Upon visiting the client at their residence, Reset Alexa to factory defaults

3. Ask EOS questions

a. How do you like Alexa?

b. What have you used Alexa to do?

c. Are there things you don’t like about Alexa?

d. Did you run into any difficulties?

e. Are there any features that you wished you had available to use?

f. Would you recommend Alexa to other older adults?

g. Would you be willing to participate in future programs or focus groups?

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.
Appendix M – End of Study – Study Team – How to Reset 

Alexa
Page 1 of 1 

How to Reset Alexa Echo Show to Factory Default Settings:

Step 1: Open “Settings” menu by selecting the icon that looks like a gear (labeled settings)

Step 2: Look for “Device Options” by scrolling down

Step 3: Navigate to near bottom of List for “Reset to Factory Defaults” 

Allow about 5 minutes for reset to be complete. Alexa will restart and ask questions as if it 

was new from the box (starting with choosing a language). Device can be turned off by 

holding the left button down until it asks to shut down.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely 

their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Appendix N – End of Study – Study Team – Questions 

Sheet
Page 1 of 1 

EOS Question Form

1. How do you like Alexa?

2. What have you used Alexa to do?

3. Are there things you don’t like about Alexa?

4. Did you run into any difficulties?

5. Are there any features that you wished you had available to use?

6. Would you recommend Alexa to other older adults?

7. Would you be willing to participate in future programs or focus groups?

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0017, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 

Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent 

official ACL policy.