But it takes work. For more than a year, I’ve been talking to my mother about getting an Amazon Echo. She has difficulty seeing numbers on the telephone, which makes dialing an adventure. Most of the time she uses pre-programmed two-digit dialing. But family and friends use cell phones now and we have reached the limit on pre-programming the phone. My hope is that assistive … [Read more...]
Using Social Media for Healthcare Advocacy
The rise of social media has opened new doors for activism. Though you might not think taking your message to Facebook or Twitter will result in much impact, this is actually a growing way to spread important messages about health, wellness, and resources. According to a Pew Research study, 70% of Americans use social media in some capacity. That’s a huge percentage of the … [Read more...]
Deaf and Aging in America
“Blindness cuts us off from things. Deafness cuts us off from other people.” Helen Keller Our very sense of self-worth, our identity, is dependent on relationships, and healthy relationships are dependent on being free to share our thoughts and feelings, as well as to listen to those of others. Barriers to communication, therefore, create barriers to relationship. For … [Read more...]
You Use Special Medical Equipment – Are You Prepared for An Emergency?
If you are on oxygen therapy, have you notified your power company? Often when the power goes out due to a storm it’s a minor inconvenience. For most of us, all we need is a few candles to see and board game or a book to pass the time. But when you’re caring for aging parents, a power outage can have serious consequences, especially if the situation escalates past a few … [Read more...]
For Persons Living With Dementia, Dog Therapy Is A Gift
This is Murphy, a therapy dog, and Anne, a person living with dementia.* As soon as Murphy was carefully positioned in her lap, Anne began gently petting her. Then she began to sing and rock her. Tears welled up in the eyes of Anne’s caregiver and mine. I had the privilege of participating in a Pet Therapy Community Class at The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA). … [Read more...]