GADGETS AND TOOLS THAT HELP SENIORS
First, the trauma of turning 50 hits you. Then, once that settles in you feel a little better because there’s another decade before the big “6–0.” It’s scary, because, now there are only five years until you start collecting social security. Now comes 70. You know there’s more behind you than what’s ahead. That can be unsettling.
But, here’s the good news! Even though our fingers are a little (or a lot) swollen with arthritis, our balance is a little iffy, cholesterol a bit high, and the inner tube around the waist isn’t what the doctor ordered, there’s a bright side to getting older. Brighter, still, when compared to aging during Europe’s middle ages — Confronting Aging, A World in Transition:
“…. one was considered old when one looked old. The Dowager’s Hump was the stereotypical hallmark of the elderly woman as were the broken hips and arms of the aged man. Women were considered ‘old’ at a younger age than men. Menopause and its physical manifestations produced telltale signs. English records often document the use of titles such as ‘Mother’ or ‘Old’ for poorer women beginning around their 50th year. For poorer men, similar titles were centered in their sixth decade.”
Nowadays, we are enlightened through modern medicine, science and innovation that ensures us information about proper nutrition, preventive check-ups, exercise, health benefits of socializing, online resources such as AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), and useful tools for the elderly, among others. Gadgets and tools that help seniors with physical limitations go a long way toward enabling us to be as independent as possible. There are a variety of good ones, reasonably priced that can be purchased any number of places, including online at Amazon. For lovers of reading, the free NOOK device enables downloading of books from Barnes and Noble, priced significantly less than hardcover, to most digital devices, from smartphones to notebooks, such as the iPad. Those who watch our Grannybooster videos on YouTube will see us demonstrate a range of these.
We want to hear from you, so feel free to share tips, ideas, and resources for seniors with Grannybooster. Email me, Maris Somerville, at info@grannybooster.com
This article was previously published at GrannyBooster.com
