Picture a lonely elderly person in a care or medical facility with relatives far away. A distant relative has Skype on their phone. That person knows they can arrange for the facility to bring a large screen laptop or tablet to their elderly relative's room to receive a video call from family at their Thanksgiving table miles away. All the family members around the table pass the smart phone around to see and wish their distant senior relative recovery or best wishes.
Let's encourage that this simple service be added to hospitals and elder care facilities as an aid to mental health and recuperation.
The facility could subscribe to the Skype network or use the person's own ID and password.
What are your thoughts?
If this can be done in prisons for persons that have committed crimes and are under lock an key due to their poor choices, it surely could be done for the elderly in ALF. Now, the cost and exactly how long it would take for programs like this to take off is a whole other story. It is a wonderful idea, absolutely, but cost effectiveness and staffing are the biggest issues. The family or resident would have to pay for this service and schedule it. There is a lot that would go into it, but absolutely would be beneficial.