Importance of smartphones for senior citizens

 I have been in touch with an old friend who is an acute patient of arthritis. A nonagenarian with an octogenarian wife, the couple have been living in a small two-bedroom flat in an apartment complex, not far from where their children,  a son and a daughter, live in the city. The son is a busy professional, while his daughter-in-law runs a small business outfit, which keeps her busy.  With grown-up children studying abroad, both children keep visiting their parents and try to look after all their needs. They also ensure that their parents get the best medical attention. 

As long as they were physically fit, my friend and wife used to attend all social events and had a good time, keeping themselves busy. Things changed once their health issues led to their having mobility problems. While my friend and his wife were familiar with the internet and kept in touch with their near and dear ones using their laptop and a basic mobile, for some reason, they were not allowed to use a smartphone by their children. They probably feared that their parents would not be able to handle a smartphone and would be exposed to irrelevant and sometimes negative messages on WhatsApp.

When I rang up my friend the other day, he was sounding depressed. In his feeble voice, he told me that he was taking some medication for his depression, which is making him feel drowsy and sleepy all the time. His wife came on the line and told me that though their children are taking good care of them,  after a few friendly neighbours who were giving them good company every day had moved out, they felt isolated. They started missing the company of friends. Talking to friends and relatives, they realised that in the absence of a smartphone with WhatsApp facility, they were missing the opportunity to get instantly connected to the outside world, which would help them keep mentally occupied  and keep their spirits high. An idle mind is the devil`s workshop. So the couple is constantly thinking of their health problems and indulging in self-pity, leading to depression in my friend`s case. I am aware that depression in old age could lead to dementia and other problems associated with it. I felt bad for them that the children had not realised the importance of smartphones for their parents.

As a resident of a popular senior citizen home in Coimbatore, I have seen the role that smartphones are playing in the lives of the residents here, many of them living alone, with their children living abroad. Such children not only connect with their parents on video calls every other day but also share photos or videos of their activities, making the parents happy. Besides, smartphones also help such residents stay connected with the happenings in the community. Those with mobility problems, who are unable to physically attend popular programmes hosted by the residents, are able to see the videos of the events the following day.  Smartphones keep them busy. If they have an issue with the phone, they seek the help of a tech-savvy resident and get their problems resolved.

In the case of my friend, if he or his wife has a problem with the smartphone, I am sure they could get some bright, tech-savvy youngster in their apartment complex to solve their problem, without disturbing their children.

As I have been repeatedly saying, socialising with friends is very important for senior citizens, however caring the children might be. Smartphones, particularly WhatsApp, surely make up for the lack of physical socialising, especially for senior citizens with mobility problems.

Food for thought for children of elderly parents who are living alone!