I’m excited to head to Atlanta this week to see my precious Dad again. I do my best to get down there every couple of weeks.
Dad entered memory care earlier this year in February and has adjusted fairly well. But recently, he’s becoming more confused, more disoriented. And frightened. Which breaks my heart.
As I shared on Facebook yesterday, this pic is from two weeks ago when I was there visiting. Dad and I were sitting out by the pool one evening after dinner, enjoying the sunshine and talking about who’s already waiting for us in heaven (prompted by a devotional thought I’d read from The Word for You Today publication).
I love our visits. Our conversations. I cherish them. And, selfishly, I wish he lived here in Nashville so I could see him every day. Yet I’m also grateful that I’m able to drive to Atlanta every couple of weeks to see him. I’ve always loved to drive. And with a great audio book cued up and Spotify at the ready, the four hours fly by.
But on those days when I’m here in Nashville and really want to see Dad, to talk to him, to “sit and visit” but can’t, I’m so grateful for my Amazon Echo Show.
When the Echo Shows first came out, I saw them and thought, “Cool! But I don’t need that.” We already had a first generation Echo that was still cruising right along. So I didn’t give it another thought. Until . . .
I was looking for something on Amazon one day and an ad in the sidebar caught my eye. For, you guessed it, the Amazon Echo Show. Amazon had dropped the price (to what it is currently), which also grabbed my attention. Still I thought, “I don’t need it.”
But I looked anyway (those sidebar ads work!). And I’m so glad I did.
Because as I scanned the reviews, this image caught my eye:
In his review, Ed (the reviewer) describes how he uses the “drop in” feature on the Amazon Echo Show to talk to his 95 year old mother who is also struggling with dementia. (You can read Ed’s full review here.) I did more research on that specific feature, then quickly bought two of the Echo Shows.
One for Dad. And one for me. And . . . we love them!
We talk at least three or four times a day. Sometimes more often. He’ll occasionally call my cell and say, “How about calling me on the picture phone?” : )
Bless . . .
He can still remember how to use his flip phone (most days), but anything beyond that is too much. But with the “drop in” feature of this device, I’m able to call him and all he has to do is swivel around in his chair and start talking. What a blessing!
I’ve long loved technology (and have to apply discipline in that purchasing area), but I’m especially grateful for my Amazon Echo Show and how it’s enhancing the remaining time I have with my sweet dad. And he is still so sweet. He always has been.
What “technological capability/feature” are you especially grateful for in your life right now? Is this “drop in” feature something you might be able to use with an older loved one?
Tammy
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Remember the devotional I mentioned reading to Dad (above)?
THIS is that daily devotional. I’m giving away a year’s subscription.
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Tamera blogs every first and third Tuesday at Inspired by Life . . . and Fiction, a group blog she shares with a wonderful community of authors. If you'd like to join the conversation on this post, Tamera would love to see you there!