Longevity Explorers | Pleasanton: Recent Episodes
Longevity Explorers
Members discuss changes in smell and taste that they have experienced as a result of aging.
How do you manage your medications? Members describe the various ways they keep track of their medications.
The question was raised, "How to tell when it is time to quit driving?"
Several different technologies were discussed as to how they might document poor driving decisions to give an objective look at driving competentce.
The free app, Brighter & Bigger was discussed as to how it is useful in restaurants as an aid to vision.
Staying young with exercise is the topic. An 87 year old has fun looking at the "ladies".
Keeping safe from the flu season, "your health is in your hands", was discussed using the concept of putting hand sanitizer outside each restroom with a sign inside reminding the folks to use the hand sanitizer as they leave. A potential City Ordinance.
If you had a magic wand, and it would give you anything you wanted to make your life easier, what would it be?
Do we have a love/hate relationship with new technology? We want what it has to offer, but to do so we have to be willing to put in the time to learn it. A comparison was made to learning bridge and the time it takes to stay proficient at it.
Regarding barriers to independence, bathing options were discussed. Putting a bar (but not with Jack Daniels) in the shower seemed like a popular idea.
A favorite jar opener was demonstrated with a spaghetti sauce jar and a pickle jar. Also a method for opening plastic water bottles (teeth, not recommended) was discussed. It is helpful to first break the seal with a church key. What’s a church key?
Asked about barriers to independence, the topic of driving at night was discussed. Using Uber was a popular solution.
Is there a simplified smart phone for seniors? Several in the group still use flip-phones.
However, most in the group use an iPhone. One big advantage of using an iPhone is that many more people know how to use it and can give help when needed. It is better to use a common brand so that help is easily available.
Grandchildren seem to be a major factor in Seniors wanting to be able to use a smart phone.
The types of things folks use their smart phone for are to keep a calendar, take photos, omit a wrist watch, get driving directions, send texts, and keep in touch with grandchildren through texting.
One way to simplify a smart phone is to eliminate the data plan. If there is no for need driving directions, applications or mobility, a data plan is not needed; only wi-fi.
An iPad is a great solution for the elderly because the screen is larger and it can text and facetime or skype. It has most of the functions of an iPhone without the costs and can be used without an expensive monthly data plan.
There is free help available at the Senior Center and also at the Apple Store for iPhone.
How can seniors be better served by technology? Technology can help with keeping a calendar and reminders of appointments or medication times.
And what about that senior with memory issues who wanders off from time to time? How can technology help her?
There are human implantable chips to help find a wandering elder.
Discussion covered the legal and privacy aspects of implantable GPS chips and the possibility of a bracelet or ankle band.
Various technologies can help seniors have control of their destiny to live the way they want for longer.
What aids are there to make putting on women’s jewelry easier?
With the clasps being so tiny and senior vision and hand dexterity getting worse, it is difficult to fasten a necklace or put on the backs of earrings. Short of ceasing to wear jewelry, what are some options that would help?
This question was posed by a husband helping his wife put on her favorite necklace. The tiny clasp is hard to see and difficult to manage with larger less dexterous hands.
There are magnet closures which work well that can replace the clasps, but it has to be done to each necklace and that can get expensive. It was suggested to take several necklaces into the jeweler all at once to have them installed. The price is likely very close to the same for one necklace as for several.
Is there a way to modify an old tiny clasp to make it easier to use? Possibly there is a larger adaptive clasp that just clips on to the small existing clasp.
The necklace could be made longer so it simply slips over the head and does not require a clasp.
There is a tool to help hold a bracelet in place while hooking the clasp. Maybe something similar could work for a necklace.
Opening jars requires strength. Other than a husband, or smashing it on the front sidewalk, is there a recommendation for a good jar opener?
There are multiple causes to difficulty opening jars, and there are different openers which work best for each cause.
On the Longevity Explorers’ website there is a report showing the results of research and recommending which jar openers work best.
Prying the jar lid slightly with an old-fashioned bottle opener will release the seal and make opening the jar easier.
When is forgetting names a warning of Alzheimer’s disease?
It is not necessarily a symptom. Many people, even at very young ages, had difficulty remembering names. It is pretty normal, even without the aging process.
The Pleasanton Senior Center teaches a memory class which is a helpful and fun way to improve or maintain memory function.
It is good to exercise memory skills. Try choosing several phone numbers and always dial them on the keypad instead of auto-dialing them.
Is there a mouse better designed to prevent hand pain?
There are various sizes and styles, including children’s styles that might be better suited for the small elderly hand. It would be a good idea to go to Best Buy and try out what is available. It would be a good idea to have several styles and rotate them to avoid over-use injuries to the hand. The touch-pad style might be a good choice for arthritic hands.