A longitudinal investigation of new ‘Smart Speaker’ personal assistants to improve independence and wellbeing in social care settings

End of project summary

Main Messages

This research explored whether everyday smart speakers - such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, can help people in social care live more independently and improve their wellbeing.  Despite investment, new technologies remain underused in many areas of social care and research is lacking. To address this evidence gap, the research focused on two groups who often face digital barriers:  people with a learning disability and older adults in social housing. 

In Project 1,  we used interviews and questionnaires over three months to see if smart speakers could improve independence, wellbeing, and speech intelligibility for 84 people with a learning disability and assess barriers to use. In Project 2, we followed 98 older adults living in social housing over nine months, using surveys and interviews to understand how smart speakers fit into their daily lives. We used the results to create a Handbook for using smart speakers and a short Film explaining the findings, featuring participants from the study. All stages of the research were guided by an Advisory Group, including older people and people with a learning disability. 

Key Messages

Enhanced Speech intelligibility, independence, and wellbeing - People with a learning disability said that the smart speaker helped to enhance their sense of autonomy, access to entertainment, and were a source of companionship. They may also improve speech clarity. We also replicated these findings in a small study of children with speech difficulties. 

Simplified Daily Living for Older Adults - For older adults, smart speakers aided daily living (e.g., reminders, accessing entertainment/news), promoted health behaviours, and provided some companionship. Increased digital confidence emerged as they adapted to the devices with gradual learning and support.

Barriers and Support Needs - Both groups experienced technical issues such as speech recognition and accessibility barriers. Tailored, ongoing training and support from peers, family, or professionals are essential. 

Implications for Service Delivery & Policy - Smart speakers are scalable, relatively cheap devices that could support independence and wellbeing for people who struggle with traditional devices, but users need appropriate, ongoing support. Further economic evaluation is needed.  

Practical Outcomes & Future Directions - The research has already informed the development of practical tools such as a training handbook and a dissemination film which have been used by practitioners in Wales. Future research should trial larger populations and longer interventions to fully assess impact, scalability, and economic potential.