TriHealth SeniorLink and Information Systems Link Seniors to the Net
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Think about activities in a senior day care. Bingo? Crafts? Chair exercise? Surfing the Net is not exactly top of mind. Now picture computer wizards hunting solutions for arthritic hands...failing eyes…stiffened shoulders. Again, not an association we would readily make. But, then, bringing the computer age to seniors with manifold physical limitations required looking beyond the ordinary. The result is Seniors Connect to the Net, a program designed to provide Internet access and specialized instruction to seniors who might not otherwise experience the benefits of computer technology.
A 9,100-square-foot expansion at the TriHealth SeniorLink Norwood Day Center afforded space for Seniors Connect. Funds were acquired through a charitable grant from the Bahmann Foundation, which shares SeniorLink’s interest in reducing isolation of low-income older adults through technology. With space allotted and money in hand, SeniorLink Service Operations Manager Mary Rohs turned to Information Systems to make computer access for her participants a reality.
Betty Rehbock and Steve Forrester of TriHealth's Information Systems department recently spent a couple of hours with SeniorLink staff exchanging ideas and information about the project. According to Betty, the collaborative spirit was immediate. “They have so much passion for what they do; you cannot sit in a room with them and not be infected by that enthusiasm.”
With an enthusiasm to match, Steve went to work researching special equipment. “Most of the equipment was available,” explains Steve. “It was a matter of finding it.” Mary adds, “IS not only agreed to work on the project, but they spent extra time searching for products that would meet our needs and still be in our budget.”
Many SeniorLink participants are in wheelchairs. Others have limited arm and upper body movement. Mary had been looking at handicapped adaptive equipment to bridge those limitations. Then Steve found wall-mounted arms to hold computers, monitors and keyboards -- arms with infinite range of motion. Mary’s reaction, from her occupational therapist’s point of view, was “Oh, wow!”
The list of challenges was long, but no match for the combined expertise of SeniorLink and IS. Solutions were found for each challenge. Vision problems called for 19-inch monitors and low-vision equipment. Keyboards with one-inch keys dealt with limited mobility. Mice that were more like joysticks on wheel chairs allowed manipulation with just two fingers. Special adjustable lap desks held notebooks and instruction manuals without taking up unnecessary space.
The result of all this collaboration is six workstations operable by even severely restricted seniors. A seventh workstation, acquired through the TriHealth PC Pool Funds, accommodates the instructor. And the collaboration continues. IS has pledged to support the work stations through the IS Help Desk.
The other, unexpected result of teaming the two departments was fun. As Mary puts it, “IS has been tremendous and fun and creative. Their enthusiasm is incredible.”
As for Betty and Steve, the experience has been both enjoyable and novel. “Normally we support those who support patients,” explains Betty. Steve agrees. "It gave me first rung contact to helping the patient. We don’t often get to do that.”
For more information about TriHealth SeniorLink, call 513-531-5110.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2008 issue of Triumph, TriHealth's quarterly magazine for its employees. ©TriHealth, 2008.
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