subject: Seniors Use The Internet To Buy Their Own Mobility Scooters [print this page] Seniors Use The Internet To Buy Their Own Mobility Scooters
There are a variety of programs designed to help the elderly continue to live in their homes, where they feel most comfortable. Many seniors do not like the concept of assisted living but eventually either give in and move, or get help in their own home. Family members have always split the time and help between themselves and are now turning to the internet for easier access to information and products that can assist their grandparents. Websites are now offering wheelchairs, rollators, walk-in tubs and even mobility scooters with a simple click of a button. But the most astonishing change is the one caused by the access to information. Family members are changing the way they interact with their elders by turning to them and asking them what are their needs. With the internet available in almost every house, grand kids are able to listen to their grandmother complain about not being able to go grocery shopping and simply search for solutions on their iPhones. It can take a mere two seconds before they can show her the cost of a new mobility scooter. Together they can figure out what is the best solution immediately, rather then having to schedule another day to get the information. This new wave of gadgets and their mobile access to the world wide web is also changing the way senior care homes are operating. Computers are now installed in almost every senior care home and offer seniors a chance to interact with distant relatives via Skype, send emails, and search for doctors in their area in case they need them. They can virtually visit new countries around the world and can also search for products that can help improve their day to day lives. Sharing information has proved to change lives in senior care homes.For Patricia Walter, the creator of the Nursing Home Diaries, it was her mother that inspired her to start a blog about senior citizens and their experiences in nursing homes. She can refer to dozens of cases where access to the internet literally changed the lives of seniors. A reader comments:"I required hip replacement surgery and turned to an internet discussion group to learn about hip resurfacing. Hip resurfacing was just approved in the United States in May 2006 and most U.S. doctors did not support or know about the procedure. Thanks to the 6000+ members of a Yahoo discussion group, I was able to learn about this new hip procedure and device. I had no health insurance and went to Belgium to have my hip resurfaced by one of the world's greatest surgeons." And he is not alone.Members of other senior care homes are buying their own mobility products online. They are helping themselves and for some, that is the most important gift they can get.
