PRESS RELEASE
Date: 4th September 2023
Keep your older relatives connected with the launch of aurisbuddies.com! A company based on the Isle of Wight, today announced the launch of a new service to help older people, at home, stay connected. Those in care homes will receive the service free.
Digital Exclusion for the over 65s could become history if you sign up
to the new service, aurisbuddies.com, which helps older people connect with their loved ones, and the wider world, by providing them with access to Alexa devices for video calling and other services.
Inspired by a pilot project that AurisBuddies conducted on the Isle of Wight, together with partners’ Embracing Age, a charity and Oakray Care which has several care homes on the island. The pilot project showed that the use of Alexa devices could have a significant impact on the lives of older people in care. For example, the devices can be used to make video calls, listen to music, set remind
ers, and make lists and get news and weather updates.
Regional Manager at Oakray Care – Sam Caswell said:
“I cannot express strongly enough the positive impact this is having on residents who are not able to have regular visits – if only we’d had this during lockdown!”
Speaking for Embracing Age, Rebecca Savage (Island Coordinator) said:
“The project was the perfect extension to all the other work our volunteers carry out across the island”.
As part of a charitable mission, AurisBuddies and Embracing Age will continue to provide the service free to Care Homes on the island.”
AurisBuddies, for those at home, is a paid for service that is delivered by an AurisBuddie in the customer’s home with the help of a chosen loved one normally a child or grandchild. The loved one is coached on how to play their part by using the Alexa App and how to help their parent or grandparent connect with family and friends.
“We are excited to launch AurisBuddies an
d help more older people stay connected,” said Jamie Macaulay, MD of AurisBuddies. “We believe that this service can make a real difference in the lives of older people and their families”
AurisBuddies is currently available on the Isle of Wight, but the company a .com platform plans to expand the service by building its network of Aurisbuddies to reach other parts of the UK in the near future.
Well we made it, AurisBuddies is live!