David Trescot

Many seniors are intimidated by technology, particularly those over age 75. An estimated 72% of adults in this age group do not use smartphones, laptops, tablets or similar devices.  We may ask, ‘How can this be when technology is all around us and so much a part of everyday life?’  But for many ‘non-using’ seniors their reasoning tends to be that they can’t learn technology, it won’t benefit them, and it’s too complicated to bother with. 

For those in long-term care, particularly those who may be disabled or chronically ill, lack of enthusiasm for technology may be a completely acceptable attitude.  

But just about any senior, including LTC residents, can benefit from the increased socialization and external connectivity that technology access and use can provide. Being able to communicate remotely with family, caregivers, and friends can have a significant impact on a senior’s emotional and physical well-being. As well, healthcare professionals in nursing home and assisted living communities can maximize resident care and communication with the help of technology that residents are comfortable with.  

The good news is that being able to have a video appointment with a professional caregiver, get medication reminders, have a video chat with the grandchildren, or check out a website doesn’t have to be complicated or require a bunch of lessons for a new user. Easy-to-use technology options are out there for seniors who are not tech savvy. VideoCare, www.videocare.com a simple touch-screen system, is one of these options and can be an appealing one at that for tech-shy seniors because it doesn’t require any technical skill. There’s no keyboard or mouse to deal with – all the user has to do is touch icons or photos on the screen to connect to a family member, friend, or caregiver. Once connected, the senior can have video chats, receive photos or videos from other computers or smart phones, listen to music, follow news, receive messages, and more.

VideoCare is a cloud-managed service, meaning that all control of the system occurs remotely by family and caregivers. This allows for safeguards including control over who can communicate with an LTC resident. For long-distance caregivers especially, VideoCare provides peace of mind because it’s a reliable and reassuring way to check in and connect with a loved one – whenever and wherever.

LTC staff and administrators benefit in many ways including the ability to work with residents to program automated reminders using VideoCare. This allows administrators to monitor a resident who may need to take a pill at certain times of the day for example, especially if that resident tends to forget their medication schedule. The automated message can also serve as a safety feature; if the resident doesn’t respond, the community administrator or a family member can be notified. 

VideoCare is an effective way to bring technology to those who don’t ‘use’ technology.  It is a system that allows for simplified use of today’s communication advances, and represents a valuable tool for administrators and an opportunity to increase quality ‘face’ time for LTC residents and remote family caregivers.

 

David Trescot is the co-founder and CEO at VideoCare.