Video Greeting from Dr. John Huth

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[Dr. John Huth]

Based on personal observations at many long-term care facilities, I have found that many residents, (even those free of dementia), are nevertheless bored, lonely, feel that they have nothing further to offer society, and do not readily meld into a community which might ultimately bring about a more consumer-driven form of management. (see "Uneasy Endings-Daily Life in an American Nursing Home" by Renee Rose Shield, ISBN # 0-8014-9490-7. Nearly 10 years old but still in print and as true now as the day it was written.)
However there are 3 fairly recent developments which may make a difference. They are:
1) Tablet PCs. They eliminate the need for typing by seniors who either will not or cannot type (arthritis). Furthermore seniors love to draw, and the "paint" screen allows them to do so. Then their hand-signed drawings can be e-mailed to friends or relsatives.
2) Gradual recognition that many residents of long-term care facilites still have much to offer society, and particularly teen agers. For example a lady who as a girl lived in the "Little Italy" section of New York and can remember reactions there when we declared war on Mussollini's Italy (High School history students should be interested). And as another example, a retired lawyer (a Harvard graduate) who is largely confined to a wheel chair but could offer High School students insights into Law as a career.
3) The fact that many States now require students to perform community service prior to High School graduation.
Taken together, these three developments have made it possible for us to bring High School studetns (with a tablet) into a nursing home, teach it's use to residents, and begin to provide connectivity between youth and the aged.
A number of High Schools around the USA and Canada have made major committments to tablet PCs, and we plan to provide e-links between them and residents of long-term care facilities.
And finally, it should be noted that residents need only be concerned initialy with one screen (paint) on a tablet!
All comments, suggestions and/or criticisms most welcome.
John Huth, 703 521-0575. john.huth@verizon.net
2403 South Queen Street, Arlington, VA 22202-1551

[Pat W]

I do not see many comments on your blog and that is indicative of our society. However, I thought you might enjoy my experience, one of many, with working in a nursing home. I was in my 50's and divorcing and looking for part time work to pay property taxes as the divorce turned bitter and withholding money became an issue and taxes only wait so long to be paidHaHa,, so here i was a nurse's aide among many high school age people...but guess what...I loved it. Most of the residents were in their 70,80, and 90 years of life and of course I love history and have much experience inlistening to senior citizens for non payment so this was even better and I got paid for it even though very HARD work, they were extremely grateful for anything you did for them which was good for my wounded ego and they called me KID because I was younger than them.HaHa However,I did witness what yu are talking about, the isolationism and put them there and tendency to forget they are there sort of like out of sight and out of mind mind-set. Yes some families are extremely conscientious about visiting on Sundayor whenever but that leaves allthe rest of the week sometimes day and night to be filled with something. So I offer you my kudos for being so interested and taking some action to alleviate a situation needing exposure and solutions. And not tomorrow or maybe someday when I get around to it and the person is long gone,,it's a problem destined to increase in size considerably with the baby boomer generation just as Social Securtity willbe stresed so willthis problem. I think the computerization of the elderly is a wonderful, progressive idea and I support it enthusiastically. I tell anyone who asks and I work at a Meijers as a cashier and we do a surveytype promotion and when I give it to seniors who hand it back to me saying they don't have a computer I answer them back, go to the library,, they even provide free tutoring in computers...at least where I live they do. So some of them take it back and will go and some of them say oh I'm too old to learn that. They don't know what they are missing out on. I used to laugh with my daughter who is a nurse and her days in college were spent working in a nursing home that it will be funny when the next generations go into nursing homes and the music willbe disco, rock and roll, and rap and allthe new stuff there is now.HaHa So Keep up your good work and I'll pray for your success and at least one person read your blog and commented.