“It is usually the little things that end up being the reason someone cannot live independently. Being able to shower, navigate steps and use kitchen utensils like a can opener” If you are headed home for the holidays, it is the perfect time to observe, assess, and ask your parents what it is they believe they will need to stay in their home. Often small, low tech gadgets and … [Read more...]
Three Terrific Caregiving Resources: Two Books And A YouTube Channel
These resources have been invaluable to me. People often ask “How did you get to the point where you and your mom are a team? It’s so hard to not act like I’m the parent.” One of the first books I read when I became mom’s caregiver was How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders by David Solie, M.S., P.A. This book helped me understand why mom … [Read more...]
Assistive technology in caregiving, will it help your senior? Maybe.
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 people … [Read more...]