Aging Family Members: If You See Something, Do Something

Here are five steps we can take to help care for our older relatives

Let's give some thought to how older people connect with others, stay safe and well, and keep contributing to the world around them. Here are five reminders about care for our older relatives, things we can all initiate that have some technology elements. This advice is, of course, easier to give than it is to follow. And the technology is insufficient without the involvement of people. But take a look: observe older family members and ask yourself if there are ways to enhance their quality of life.

1. If they are at risk of falling, mitigate. You see an older relative walking shakily with a cane or a walker, standing up with great difficulty, or holding onto chairs or rails while they walk. If your relative is alert and still gets out and about, does she have a cell phone in her pocket? Is he taking his medications at the right time and dose? Does she stay close to home and therefore has a personal emergency response system (PERS) pendant or wearable fall detection device? Does it look like a fall risk assessment is appropriate? If not now, when?
2. If they are isolated, connect them. If you know an older person who is frail and generally isolated, does he or she have a companion to come and visit? If not, can you locate one? Can a videophone be put in his home so that you or other long-distance relatives can call? We know that access to the Internet can cut depression risk. If she is willing, can a computer with a touch screen and camera be set up with easy-to-run software? If your relative is hard of hearing, can he benefit from a hearing-amplified phone? If he is vision-limited, can he benefit from magnifying technology or screen reader (even for a BlackBerry!)?
3. If they want to learn new things, show them. From video games to Wii Bowling, life can be a lot more fun for older people who try new games and tools, Internet surfing, and online chatting with friends and family. Can baby boomers afford to help with the cost of some of these tools? Maybe siblings and other family members can get together and share the cost. Don't forget the Kindle and its many competitors (each less expensive than the next) for making reading cheaper (per book) and more accessible to older people. And if they want to keep working in retirement, help make it happen—they will be healthier.
4. If they are driving, help them drive safely. There is a lot of hype about older drivers and preserving and enhancing skills. NPR did a nearly endless segment on it the other day. In addition, check out the DriveSmart program and technology from Mobileye, which warns drivers who veer from their lane.
5. If they have dementia, find the music, memories, and safety. It has been studied and proven that music therapy works wonders on people with Alzheimer's disease. Now there is a program to load iPods with customized music lists from a person's own life period and memories. Even if you don't participate in the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) program, find a way to bring more music into the home of a person with dementia. And locate and give tracking technologies, including GPS and cellular tracking phones, to help keep that person safer living at home.

By Laurie Orlov
Aging in Place Technology Watch Blog

[Originally posted November 26, 2009, at Laurie's Aging in Place Technology Watch Web site.]