Note: Any money examples here are hypothetical. We're not promising anyone will earn anything.
An idea for a service: set up and teach voice and AI assistants for older adults, with simple cheat sheets.
The idea
Help older adults and their families set up and learn voice and AI assistants, like reminders for medications and appointments, calls to family, and simple questions, in friendly in-home or video sessions.
Who it's for
Older adults who want to stay independent, and adult children who live far away and want to help.
The problem you solve
New assistants can do a lot, but setup screens and settings are confusing, and family members can't always visit to help.
How you help
A setup visit plus follow-up lessons. You set up the device, turn on the features they want, and teach a few everyday uses. For example, Amazon says Alexa+ works on Echo devices and in the Alexa app, and Apple says Siri AI can take actions in apps like Messages and Reminders. You write a simple printed cheat sheet for each person.
Tools you'd use
Amazon Alexa+Apple Intelligence and Siri AIGemini in Google Workspace
How it works, step by step
Here's how it could work, step by step (it's an outline, not a case study):
- A short call with the person and their family about goals.
- An in-home or video setup visit.
- Set up three to five everyday uses, like reminders and calls.
- Leave a large-print cheat sheet.
- A follow-up lesson a week later.
- Optional monthly check-ins.
Ways to get paid
Ways you could price it: a flat setup fee, plus an optional monthly check-in package. Families often value a clear package. Test your price with a few first clients, and treat any number as a starting guess.
What you need to get started
You'll want patience, clear teaching, comfort with popular devices, and a friendly manner. A background check can help families trust you.
Keeping it running
Never ask for or keep passwords. Let the person or family type them. Explain privacy settings in plain words, and respect the person's choices.
Things to watch out for
Watch out for scams that target older adults, devices that change after updates, and setting up more than people want. Keep it simple. A first client, for example: an adult daughter in another state wants her 81-year-old father to stop missing his afternoon medication. You visit, set up an Echo in his kitchen, add a daily 2 p.m. reminder, teach him to call his daughter by voice, and leave a large-print card with five phrases. A week later, you check in by video. (Our illustration.) Questions to settle before you start: - Who's the main contact: the older adult or a family member? - What's included in setup, and what counts as a follow-up visit? - How will you leave privacy settings, and who knows how to change them? Your first week: 1. Set up a device for a relative or neighbor as practice. 2. Write your first large-print cheat sheet. 3. Leave flyers at a library, senior center, or place of worship, where allowed. 4. Write a simple privacy promise: no passwords kept, ever.
Sources
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