On purpose I remain close to many friends, a good portion dating back as far as elementary school days. And since I started kindergarten in September 1945, many of those friendships are over 60 years old.
As time has passed many of their parents have either died or are in their 80s and 90s and are now living somewhat challenged lives. When I hear about moms and dads, I think about the later years that my own mother and daddy went through, and especially the extra daily attention Patty and I gave my mom for the last ten years of her life.
Today I got an email from one of my friends, and she was telling me that her mom, although still able to live at home by herself, is finding things more challenging as dementia is setting in. For an example, she now has trouble operating her television set.
No longer are there a mere three important adjustment knobs on the TV -- on and off: volume; and channel selector. There's no doubt she could handle those by herself if that were all there were.
Instead, however, there's the remote that has countless buttons that are there to operate other components she doesn't even have. And then there is the problem of needing to also operate and adjust the cable or dish receiver.
I remember that one day my mom was no longer able to do that either. So, like my friend's mom, she was forced to stop watching television. It wasn't until she moved to the nursing home that TV returned as a part of her life, and even then she was at the mercy of an aid coming to change the channel.
The AARP plus countless other services and governmental agencies have as their reason for existence looking after older Americans.
Doesn't it seem they would spend time addressing and solving simple issues like TV adjusting for those whose rights they claim to be protecting?
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK
214 503-8563
Excellent point, Bill. I have an engineering degree - yet my brother gave me a camera 2 years ago with a 100-page manual, and I still haven't figured out how to take a picture with it. I rely on my old 2-megapixel camera which has almost no features - but it's simple to use. Many appliances are getting entirely too complex for most people.
Hi Bill... You raise a very valid concern. Accessibility is nolonger merely about wheelchairs, it's about elderly people being able to perform simple tasks like cooking or watching television or placing a telephone call. As the baby boomers are aging now, hopefully the economic viability of ensuring that they can do these things for themselves will suddenly become more important to the corporations and industrial designers who have, thus far, only made it more difficult.
Hi Bill!
This is a problem that hadn't even occured to me...and I am already challenged by the remote! I worry about those who can't afford or don't realize that they need glasses. Can you imagine not being able to read, watch television or even see your friends clearly? Thanks for bringing this to the forefront...now let's hope someone is listening!
While he never told me before, I knew in my heart that Brian was an engineer. He has a mind that thinks systematically, and that's a good thing. Thanks for your thoughts.
And of course Steve seems to always see and comment on the big picture. I enjoy reading what he's has to offer.
And then there's Paula, the good looking one of the three of you. I love seeing that picture pop up and comments to its side that are always thoughtful and worthy.
Bill,
Well said. As life expectancy continue to increase the problem will also.