Homebound seniors are miserable in their isolation and loneliness, with a devastating emotional quality of life. AARP has estimated the there are 19.6 million in the US. This can be deadly to their quality of life and their own life since loneliness and isolation equal smoking 15 cigarettes a day. There is an answer like Virtual Senior Centers. The 3 game-changing ideas below, magically allow older people, who cannot get out, use technology, a phone, museums or care managers to enhance their emotional and physical quality of life. These are brilliant game-changing.programs.
Senior Centers Without Walls has been around since 2004. Each week, seniors can access over 70 groups by phone or online, all from the comfort of home. Nancy Lynn Jarvis a mystery writer living in Santa Cruz reads each of her mysteries, as they are published live on the telephone to an entire group of homebound seniors in the San Francisco Bay area. Their winter catalog shows you the breadth of fun and games the isolated seniors can find- enhancing the emotional quality of life.
The Virtual Senior Center in New York really opens up the world for homebound seniors enhancing their emotional quality of life. It also elevates the quality of life of the caregiver because it gives them a respite and the comfort that their loved one is experiencing a program that offers joy- the joy that comes from joining a community, making new friends and learning new things you choose to be part of, an amazing benefit for homebound seniors.
Self Help, a remarkable senior agency for Hollocast victims in New York City, put an extraordinary Virtual Senior Center together by partnering with Microsoft. They have grown since their beginning to spread to many other cities. Classes are led by a volunteer, like an opera class lead volunteers from an NYC opera company-.
One of the participants talks about the sense of community they feel, Marie says. “When we see each other, we say, ‘how are you?’ And if someone is missing you wonder if he or she is sick and you find out. We have a nurse who is knowledgeable and whom you can ask health questions when you see her in the class. She connects us with information she’s learned from the Mayo Clinic.”
The Virtual Senior Center really not only opens up the world for homebound senior but enhances their emotional and intellectual quality of life and downright joy in every day
We’re Still Here an art exhibit that opened this week in Santa Cruz California. It addresses the plight of lonely and isolated seniors through art doing community organizing by allowing the 70,000 visitors expected in its run from April to September. Visitors can pick
cards to offer one lonely senior a visit, a ride, a chance to interact with another person. This exhibit will travel counties throughout California through other art museums, spreading the message that lonely isolated seniors need help- through the message of art. The exhibit was spearheaded by Nina Simon who is now world famous museum director and author who builds and teaches community driven museums.
If you are a geriatric care manager think of adding a personal assistant program that can enhance not just quality of care but the joy you give through the quality of life care check out Handbook of Geriatric Care Management with an entire chapter on adding quality of Life
