Why seniors should have more technology than the youths

Anyone who knows me also knows that I have an Omama, and that Omama is the name that is given to a Grandmother from my cultural background. Now I am sure that I am like everyone else, we are impacted by the ones we love and notice age more on the eldest living generation in our families. For me the last line of defense against the onslaught of time is my Grandmother.

As she has aged over the years her ability to do things has been impacted, including the opportunity to travel distances without the aid of a vehicle driven by someone else. For a short time she lived with me and my wife but after a few new health issues she made the choice to move in with one of my sisters. There were many reasons for this, but one of the main ones were having more people around at all times for her to interact with.

You see, everyone needs community and my Omama had lost that due to her physical limitations and the fact that my wife and I are very busy people going from here to there like a couple of bees. So for her mental health and quality of life alone this was the best choice for her and the benefits were seen almost immediately.

But the biggest change came when she was introduced to Facebook and got a tablet, boy was that huge. All the connection that she had lost with friends or family was immediately restored and easily accessible. She was once again part of the group and distance and time seemed to have no limitations. Now even if she misses a family event, she can still see pictures and comments online and send her best wishes. Technology has truly changed her state of mind in a positive manner having ripple effects in other health areas of her life. I can genuinely say that the internet is making her a happier, healthier person which brings me back to my point that seniors should have more access to technology then our youths.

Anyone who knows an older person and believes they might not have enough interaction with the external world; I encourage you to give this virtual community a try, give them a tablet and watch the changes. You won’t regret it. A big shout out to my sister who had the idea, you have changed her life.