(Snippets from the frontline)
Seniors aging in place
Everyday, elders are jettisoned into nursing homes because our profiteering healthcare system dictates seniors have become expendable.
Technology though can allow them to age in place through creative solutions.
Make homes senior friendly:
-Single story without steps;
-ramp adaptable;
-safety bars and lighting;
-coordinated medication dispensing;
-robots;
-WiFi monitoring and communication with family.
Community and government support:
-Property tax abatement;
-communal living with caregiver backup;
-access to home delivered meals and groceries;
-housecalls by medical professionals;
-personalized transportation compatible for wheelchairs and walkers;
-autonomous vehicles to maintain independence;
-socialization through senior centers, churches, schools, and community activities;
-transitional care units as a post-hospitalization stepping stone for full recovery and return home.
For seniors who can and want to work:
-Job incentives and opportunities to remain active while earning extra income.
Many seniors can still contribute, have quality of life, and live longer if they were to age in place.
They are a part of our infrastructure, and creative solutions can make nursing homes, not seniors, expendable.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
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