Sep 16, 2026

Overview: What a Drop-In Call Is and Why It Matters

A Drop-In call lets a Care Team User connect instantly and hands-free to a Member's Alexa device, by audio or video, without the Member needing to answer. Instead of waiting for a phone to ring or a call to be accepted, the connection opens automatically after a brief chime, similar to an intercom.

For Member care, this matters because it turns a quick reassurance check-in into something that takes seconds instead of a scheduled call. On an Echo Show, it lets a Care Team User visually confirm a Member's well-being during a no-response or missed check-in alert. It also removes the effort of picking up a phone or tapping "Answer," which can be a barrier for some Members, and it builds a more personal, consistent connection between visits.

Care Team Users who are proficient with Drop-In tend to use it often: on average, they drop in on a Member about 8 times per month, weaving quick check-ins into their regular monitoring routine.

Before You Begin

Confirm the following before attempting a Drop-In call:

• NEEDS VERIFICATION: Your Alexa account/device is part of the same Zemplee-managed household or organization as the Member's device, or the Member has been added as a Drop-In-enabled contact.
• NEEDS VERIFICATION: Drop-In permission has been enabled for the Member's device. This is typically granted once, during onboarding or setup, by a Zemplee administrator or family contact.
• Your Alexa device (Echo Show, Echo Dot, or the Alexa app) is signed in and connected to Wi-Fi.
• You know the Member's device name or nickname as it appears in Alexa (for example, "Mary's Echo" or the Member's name).

Because Members are typically set up under an organization-managed Alexa account rather than a personal household, it still needs to be confirmed whether Zemplee's platform grants Drop-In access to Care Team Users automatically, or whether each User must be added as a contact manually.

Important: The Member Cannot Accept or Decline

When a Care Team User starts a Drop-In, the connection opens automatically. The Member is not given the option to "accept" or "decline" the call the way they would with a phone call or a scheduled video call.

Both the User and the Member should understand, before this is ever used, that as soon as the chime sounds, the User can immediately see and hear into the room where the Member's Alexa device is located, whether or not the Member responds or is even aware the call has connected.

The only way for a Member to prevent this is to keep the device's built-in camera shutter closed. With the shutter closed, video will not be visible during a Drop-In (audio may still connect, depending on the device).

Step-by-Step: Starting a Drop-In Call

You can start a Drop-In call by voice or through the Alexa app.

Option A: By voice

• Say "Alexa, drop in on [Member's device name]" (for example, "Alexa, drop in on Mary's Echo").
• Wait for the short chime. This alerts the Member that you're connecting.
• The call connects automatically, and you'll hear (or see, on a video-capable device) the Member's space right away.

Option B: Using the Alexa app

• Open the Alexa app and tap the Communicate icon.
• Select the Member's name or device from your Contacts or Devices list.
• Tap the Drop In icon (shown as a video camera or phone icon).
• Wait for the chime; the video or audio feed will then open automatically.
• NEEDS VERIFICATION: Confirm the exact wording and icon labels, since Alexa app layouts can vary by app version, and confirm whether Zemplee's Care Team Users sign in with a shared organizational Alexa login or with individual accounts.

Ending the Drop-In Call

• By voice: say "Alexa, stop" or "Alexa, hang up."
• In the Alexa app: tap the red end-call icon.
• On an Echo Show: tap the red phone icon on the screen.

Best Practices & Tips

• Announce yourself right after the chime, since the call connects before the Member necessarily expects it: "Hi Mary, it's [Name] checking in!"
• Use Drop-In for quick wellness checks, not long conversations. Schedule a regular phone call for anything longer.
• Be mindful of privacy. A video Drop-In opens the camera automatically, so give a verbal heads-up rather than assuming what's on screen.
• Build it into your routine. Many proficient Care Team Users pair Drop-Ins with daily rounds or alert follow-ups, averaging about 8 per Member each month.
• If a Member seems startled or uncomfortable with unannounced Drop-Ins, discuss adjusting the frequency or switching to scheduled calls instead.

Open Items to Verify with Zemplee's Alexa/IT Team

• The exact process for enabling Drop-In permissions between a Care Team User's device and a Member's device within Zemplee's managed Alexa organization.
• Whether Care Team Users need individual Alexa accounts/devices or use a shared organizational login.
• The exact voice command phrasing and app navigation labels for Zemplee's specific Alexa configuration (see the Alexa Spec Sheet for Echo Show 8/10 hardware details).
• Any Zemplee-specific restrictions, such as time-of-day limits or consent settings tied to the Member Consent Form.
• Whether Drop-In activity is logged or visible anywhere in the Zemplee platform (for example, the Overview Page) for documentation purposes.