Page 10 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine 2020 Spring - Online Magazine
P. 10
HONORING SENIORS
HONORING SENIORS
CYBER
SENIORS
by Donna Alexander
s we age, there are many visitor without having to get up. the door using your phone and
challenges to living in Think about this a minute. You’re tell them to come on in. And, if
Athe home we’ve loved for snuggled up in your favorite chair they aren’t welcome, you are not
so long. Luckily, technology can with your favorite quilt over your standing face to face only inches
provide some real solutions that legs, a drink on the table beside apart. Some folks suggest that
help us overcome many of those you, your dog at your feet, the this gadget is for lazy people. But
challenges. remote in your hand, and then since the greatest risk to a senior
the doorbell rings. You aren’t is falling, the less we need to
Some of these wonderful expecting anyone, but you feel maneuver in a hurried, unplanned
gadgets make life safer and more obligated to answer the door. way, the better. Get your exercise,
comfortable. The Ring doorbell So, you put the remote on the just not between your chair and
is equipped with a camera that table, throw off the quilt, quiet your door.
allows you to see who is at your the dog and make your way to
door via your cell phone. Some the door which you instinctively Another wonderful bit of
models even allow for you to open. There on your doorstep is technology is the medication
lock or unlock the door to your a stranger - probably not a threat, dispenser or med machine.
but you don’t know Those things are life savers,
that. At best, all literally. Speaking from my own
that is between you experience, the med machine I
and this unknown got my mother allowed her to
person is a locked stay in her own house for several
glass door. Now, extra years. Like many seniors,
consider a video Mom couldn’t remember to take
doorbell with her meds. But the med machine
an app on your was programmed so that it
smart phone. The reminded her when it was time
doorbell rings and for medication. A voice told her
you (still in your when it was time to medicate, and
favorite chair with she had to push the big red button
the remote and the to dispense the correct dosages.
dog) simply pick up If she failed to push the button,
your phone and see the machine would remind her
if it is someone you every five minutes for an hour.
want at your house. If she still hadn’t pushed the
If so, you unlock button, the machine would call
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10 Amarillo Senior Link
Amarillo Senior Link
