Libertana Home Health, Orbita team up to offer voice software care assistants

Orbita, providers of voice-first software, and Libertana Home Health, a California-based health and housing waiver management company, have teamed up to develop a home care system that uses Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant technology.

The partnership will utilize Orbita Voice, a software platform for creating and maintaining voice applications for Alexa, to keep users engaged in self-care and daily activities to collect data for home care professionals.

“In our efforts to empower individuals to live independently, Libertana’s had significant success with out-of-the-box approaches. We see great value in the capabilities of voice to address a full range of health and living needs for seniors and disabled individuals,” said Jonathan Istrin, Libertana executive director. “Loneliness, for example, is a huge variable impacting health. At a minimum, if a digital assistant can help break the loneliness cycle, we come out ahead. Beyond this, the possibilities seem nearly endless.”

Libertana is currently conducting test on the virtual assistant in measures including weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, mediation. It can also request help from home-care professionals, coordinate transportation and learn about social or recreational activities.

“By enhancing engagement and compliance, voice experiences can contribute to improved outcomes,” said Debra Harrison, RN, Libertana’s public subsidized housing manager. “Voice assistants overcome challenges for individuals who, due to physical limitations, cannot use a keyboard or touch screen. They also improve patient satisfaction with more natural, engaging experiences that eliminate the ‘monitoring’ stigma of other connected devices, while still providing the data-driven insights that improve caregiver response in moments of need and intervention. Finally, they reduce costs by keeping patients at home and away from more costly clinical care settings.”