“Sit down, something really bad has happened…” Receiving a phone call and hearing these words can be the beginning of your world turning upside down. As a nurse, I witnessed many families having to come to grips with the realities that followed these life changing words. But I never dreamed I would be on the other end of that call…
until a beautiful sunny day in August 2008 when my younger sister Sue was tragically killed. Her untimely death has affected each member of our family in unimaginable ways. Anyone who has ever been in a similar situation knows the profound grief that follows such a sudden loss one can be suffocating. But the realities of life eventually intrude into the fog and you are forced to keep going.
One area in which my sister’s death changed our family was in how we would reach out to our parents. You see, Sue lived close to them and visited with them on a regular basis. She helped them in many ways, from going to doctor’s appointments, to helping them after Hurricane Charlie damaged their home.
My other siblings and I lived out of state. As a daughter and a nurse, I wanted so much to be able to be there for them. My brother and sister felt the same way, but living 1000 miles away limited how often any of us could be there. After our loss, it was even more important for all of us to stay in regular contact. But telephone calls just weren’t enough.
Several years ago, my husband Fred had an idea to develop an easy to use touch screen computer for people who were computer novices or those who were just intimidated or frustrated with traditional computers. In 2008, Fred and his partners began developing Telikin. I urged my mom and dad to give computing a try. They began using our touch-screen computer and one of the first things they learned was how to do a face to face video chat call.
Having the ability to communicate face to face over distances was a remarkable thing! Having that remote visit helped alleviate some of the sadness and loneliness we were all experiencing! It was exciting. The grandchildren thought it was great that Nanny and Pappy were online and using Skype! They could call from home or college and chat with them. My dad even began video chatting with one of his sisters who also lived 1000 miles away!
The ability to have a remote or virtual visit was valuable for me as a caregiver, also. Whether you live across town or across the country, seeing your senior loved one face to face can reassure you that they are happy and healthy, or it can offer clues when they might be struggling. Grooming/appearance, general mood, and uncharacteristic clutter in the background can give hints to developing concerns even if they insist they are doing fine. I get so much reassurance each time I chat with my parents!
Another benefit of video chat is the ability to better communicate with someone who has difficulty expressing speech, such as after a stroke. For my mother-in-law, speaking on the phone is sometimes difficult. One evening she was struggling to express herself. So my husband asked her to turn on the Telikin. With the video chat she could show us what she was unable to verbally share! This picture is worth a thousand words!!!
People don’t often think of computing as a caregiving tool, but it is. Being able to keep connected using computer technology has benefits for everyone in the family! How about you? Could you and your loved ones enjoy the benefits of video chat?
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