iPad for Dad, #9 – Guest Posting from Dad!
If you like this post, read some of the other descriptions of our Father/Daughter iPad adventure. iPad for Dad, #1, iPad for Dad, #2, iPad for Dad, #3, iPad for Dad, #4, iPad for Dad, #5, iPad for Dad, #6, iPad for Dad, #7, iPad for Dad, #8, iPad for Dad, #9, iPad for Dad, #10, iPad for Dad, #11, iPad for Dad, #12, iPad for Dad, #13, iPad for Dad, #14, iPad for Dad, #15, iPad for Dad, #16, iPad for Dad, #17 , iPad for Dad, #18, iPad for Dad, #19, and iPad for Dad, #20.
On my 87th birthday I received an i-Pad from Marti and her husband.
This “book-sized” pad has become my news and entertainment source, requiring only a disciplined index finger and a rare re-charging of the iPad battery. I have indulged in the New York Times as well as a midwest newspaper in the tiny city where for years I was a philosophy faculty member at Lincoln College.
I can choose to do drama, symphony, baseball, or send short e-mails.
Thanks a million!
Aging Research at 11% Tells Only Part of NIH Story
Despite Aging Baby Boomers, N.I.H. Devotes Only 11 Percent to Elderly Studies, appears in the June 28, 2010 New York Times. I tend to agree with Dr. Francis Collins, NIH head, who points out that the 11 percent does not take into consideration research conducted on the conditions such as diabetes and heart disease — health problems that will affect many aging boomers.
Looking at this from another perspective, it may be a bit too late to expect that any far-reaching research initiated right now, if it is designed correctly to measure long-term results, can yield beneficial results for the baby boomer generation. While we may benefit from incremental medical improvements, as a group we boomers may have to be content with the notion that our cohort, because of its enormous size, will provide a host of medical research opportunities over the next 30 to 40 years, leading to remarkable medical advances that will benefit our children and grandchildren.
A table listing the funds that NIH spends on biomedical research for 218 medical conditions is available at this link.
PointerWare Review @ Transition Aging Children
Check out the post reviewing PointerWare at Transition Aging Parents. I was thinking about reviewing this amazing software, but Dale Carter beat me to it with her wonderful post. Dale describes the ease and functionality of the product as well as the steps she went through to set up PointerWare on her mother’s computer. She is also on target with her observation about the digital divide extending to the elderly — a topic I could talk about for days on end.
Even before I learned the background of PointerWare and why the program was developed, it was clear that the programmers had personal experience with aging adults and understood problems that many elderly individuals experience when they attempt to use a technology tools.
I’d like to find a retirement community that uses PointerWare and observe how it works in a residential setting with shared computers.
Interesting Senior Tech Training Advertisement
This unusual advertisement appeared at least twice in the Washington Post recently. The program, sponsored by the Jewish Council for the Aging in the suburban Maryland area, offers technology training to people 55 and older. While the look on the woman’s face was a bit of a turn-off when I first looked at it, people older than me, especially those who yearn to learn more about e-mail and the web, feel like the woman’s face expresses their concern perfectly. This program looks interesting, so I’ll call to find out more about the program. I’ll share what I learn here. I’d love to know if this type of program for seniors exists in other places around the country.
Aging Parent Hospitalizations – Family Caregiving Tips
Our family has experienced two types of aging parent hospitalizations, and we handled each in a slightly different way. For surgeries a or medical procedures that required a hospitals stay, we monitored the situation one way, but if our parent was hospitalized overnight for dehydration or observation, we focused on different things. Our aim, in either situation, was to learn as much as we could from the various hospital staff members, serve as advocates for our parent, and seek information without intentionally aggravating people.
Staying close and observing carefully was critical because, even in the best of hospitals, problems a geriatric patient can experience unexpected problems. Most hospitals provide an information booklet at check-in, and reading it carefully helps adult children understand the nuts, bolts, and culture of life in the hospital.
End-of-Life and Pacemakers that Keep on Going
If you are not a regular reader of the New York Times, use this link to go to What Broke My Father’s Heart, by Katie Butler, published in the June 14, 2010, NY Times Magazine. Butler writes about the enormous difficulties her family encountered after a pacemaker was inserted into her father’s chest despite that he had advanced dementia. She describes the enormous stress and health consequences her mother experienced, as well as the thoughts and actions of the adult children in her family.
All of us should be aware, alert, and protective of our parents. When end-of-of-life decisions are unwittingly changed because of the addition of life-prolonging medical devices, tragic problems can occur — even if all of a parent’s papers and legal documents are in place.
A May 14, 2010, MedlinePlus/Health Day article, As End of Life Nears, What to Do With Implanted Defibrillators?, provides additional background and discussion.
Aging Parents, Aging Boomers, Geriatric Competencies
Some time ago my father had an uncomfortable experience with a health care professional. A physician, without even a sentence of explanation, began administering the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), a short evaluation that measures cognitive functioning. My father, who knew exactly what was happening, was upset. As people age, assessments are important, but so are explanations. After chatting with other adult children, I’ve come to the conclusion that many health care professionals do not have a working knowledge of the many subtleties surrounding the aging process, thus affecting their ability to communicate comfortably and even courteously with elderly seniors.
So it was with enthusiasm a few weeks ago that I spotted the headline, Partnership for Health in Aging Defines Universal Geriatrics Competencies Necessary for all Healthcare Professionals to Provide Quality Care for Older Adults. A press release describes how representatives from 21 health related organization are working together to examine the education of health care professionals — people who will work in some capacity with aging adults.
Aging Parents Traveling with Medications
It’s summer and many of us will be on holiday with aging parents who must travel with a fair number of medications. A Health Day article from Medline Plus shares a few tips about packing and traveling with medications. Also on the page are links to other traveler’s health resources.
Share this post.
