Third Party Care !

This twenty-first century is producing an ever expanding problem of sons and daughters living a vast distance from ageing Mums and Dads.  In many cases, distance makes regular visits difficult and there is the worry that increasing frailty is putting lives at risk.

The government is trying to provide services to keep the aged in their own homes rather than face the increasing costs of providing more nursing homes and this aim is being met more readily within the cities than in country areas.     Home Care Services provide both a house cleaning and a shopping facility, but many elderly people slip through the net - and this facility is totally missing in most small centres.

The age of technology offers an opportunity to correct this imbalance - and combine family members with care of the aged.  The Internet provides the link and the " Tablet " is the instrument to connect those living alone with distant loved ones on a daily basis - and bring into play all the services that can make it possible for the elderly to maintain an independent lifestyle.

It would be possible to expand the Tele-Health system that was supposed to connnect the aged with their GP's - and prompt three way consultations with medical specialists - to include distant family members who would provide that vital daily link to check the welfare of their loved ones.   Tele-Health failed to catch on because it proved incompatible with many medical communication systems and adequate software was not forthcoming.    An integrated provision of a cheap tablet, Internet connection and Skype hookup could solve these communication problems - and bring in a new age of caring for old people.

One of the basic requirements would be a reliable Internet connection, but the NBN should solve that problem - when it eventually arrives.   It would be required to train the elderly on how to use a tablet, but it's camera function would allow the carer to actually see any household or health problem first hand, and summon whatever help was required.   With this in place,  appropriate government agencies could trim their services accordingly.

There are those who lack family support to maintain regular contact and these gaps could be filled by volunteers.  It is a concept that needs to be put in place and made known to families with the worry of distant aged parents - and with coordination it could quickly become a vital part of the health services system.

Both carers and the aged would have peace of mind from a daily contact call - and the knowledge that help was just a video call away !