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| Cathy Sears, Law Clerk |
We all know that
advances in medicine have made it possible for people to live much longer than
in past generations. However, as
wonderful as a longer life is, it is also important to ensure that individuals
have the best possible quality of
life in the extra time that he or she has thanks to medical advancements.
In the past month
alone, I have learned about at least two developments in making advanced age
more bearable.
First, I saw a
heartwarming video showing the impact that music therapy can have on an
individual with Parkinson’s disease.
This disease of the nervous system causes a loss of mobility in
patients, rendering it difficult for them to walk. However, there is evidence that playing music
can help increase a patient’s mobility.
By concentrating on certain rhythms, Parkinson’s patients like the man
in this video may find it easier to regain some control over their movements. Click here to watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/viralthread/videos/645988052240548/.
A few days later, I
saw a second development which also deals with increasing seniors’
mobility. Poor posture and increased
achiness are common complaints about aging.
Therefore, the company in this video is in the process of creating and
selling a redesigned walker that would help its user maintain good posture. The walker’s design is intended to help
reduce neck or back pain that may accompany the use of regular walkers. Its higher handles prevent the hunched
posture that so often plagues people who use traditional walkers. Though this particular model is not yet available,
the company hopes to begin selling it sometime in 2017. Click here to see an infomercial about this
redesigned walker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdZ9zrtbsL8.
Both of these
videos came to my attention through yet another source of technology:
Facebook. Social media can certainly be
a valuable tool to share information – if we at TPC didn’t think so, we
wouldn’t be blogging, after all!
However, many of the people who could benefit from these innovations may
not have access to a computer and likely do not have a significant online
presence. Therefore, it is important for
those of us who use the internet frequently to tell our parent, grandparent,
friend, or neighbor about any technological updates that may make them more
comfortable or enhance their quality of life.
Most of us probably
already do this intuitively. However, it
is equally important to ensure that the information we are giving to our loved
ones is reliable, especially if that information relates to a product that can
allegedly fix debilitating problems. As
we discussed in our blog last week (see below), there are many scams designed
to prey on individuals when they are at their most vulnerable, whether due to
concern for a loved one or a physical or cognitive ailment. Therefore, take a cue from the scientists who
have helped increase the human lifespan and do your research.
