Seniors are often pressed to go online so that children, grandchildren, friends, former colleagues, military buddies, et al., can reach them via email. And many businesses routinely request customer email addresses to conduct or simplify transactions. While it’s easy to resist having email when it requires getting and using a computer, wouldn’t it be nice to receive email without stress, learning to use electronic gadgets, or worrying about spam and viruses?

Along comes the Presto Service and HP Printing Mailbox to offer email service with the simplicity of a toaster. Presto, an easy-to-use Web site which manages your own or someone else’s email address, costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Since most people establish Presto email addresses for use by someone else, that’s how I’ll describe setting one up.

The HP Printing Mailbox costs about $100 online or in stores; visit the Presto Web site for information. As you remove the printer from its box, note how it’s packed so you can ship or carry it to the person who will use it. Parts and components are easy to identify and require no tools or special skills for assembly. The complete process is clearly described and illustrated on one sheet of paper.

The device is a simple printer — just two controls, Volume and Stop! — which plugs directly into a telephone jack. It doesn’t need a separate phone line or jack or even a splitter, since an existing telephone or accessory (answering machine or Caller ID device) can plug into it, daisy-chain style.

Use the Presto Web site to create an administrator account to manage the email address. This is similar to other online account creation, with unique wrinkles. You can select a security question to use if you forget account information. Keep the answer simple, without punctuation (it didn’t like “Bronx, NY” as the answer to “Birthplace?”).

Pick the first part of the email address being created, e.g., mabel or bronxboy. The second part will be “presto.com” so these example addresses would be mabel@presto.com and bronxboy@presto.com.

Specify the phone number from which your printer will first call for email, and set the desired type size for received email. Now you can list people (by email address) authorized to send email to the new address. This procedure, called “whitelisting” (the opposite of blacklisting, of course), prevents receiving spam or other junk email.

Once the account is set up, plug the printer into a power outlet and phone jack, add paper, insert the ink cartridge, and wait patiently for it to make its first contact — this took longer than the documentation described. It will produce a few pages of welcome information and then fetch waiting email at specified times.

There’s no limit or quota for receiving email; it will fetch and print 20 pages at a time, making as many calls as necessary. Similar to many online email services, Presto provides an abundant two gigabytes of storage per email address. Email too large to print will be returned to the sender and a warning will be printed. Email unclaimed for seven days will also be returned.

There’s much to like about Presto email. People can send notes to it without knowing that it’s an email printer. An email owner can provide a URL and code to allow people to add themselves to the whitelist without needing administrator action. In addition to text and HTML format email, Presto handles common graphic attachment forms such as GIF and JPEG, so pictures can be sent; they print in not-bad though not photo-quality color.

Presto email addresses can subscribe to the Newsstand, offering free topics such as Dave Barry and Andy Rooney columns, crosswords and puzzles, travel and personal finances. Sports, astrology, automotive, and national/international news categories are expected soon. Remember, though, that those subscriptions consume ink and paper!

Aside from occasionally loading paper and replacing ink cartridges, the device operates automatically. The paper feeder holds 50 sheets; the output area holds 25. While the number of pages an ink cartridge prints depends on what’s printed, the administrator can monitor the ink supply and order cartridges. The printer manual claims it produces “up to 10 pages per minute” but that seems optimistic. A minor annoyance is that even simple text email is printed with a color border, Presto logo, and Web information. Email sent to Presto addresses can specify print styles to be used.

One senior was quoted as saying that the Presto was, “the best gift I received that I never knew I wanted”. And my personal volunteer test subject, my father-in-law, who has resisted having email set up for as long as I’ve known him, grew attached to the device during the several weeks it was on loan, and hoped it would remain when we finished experimenting.

A Harvard-trained physician specializing in neurosurgery, Dr. Simmons travels to Georgetown University Medical School three mornings a week, where he teaches neuroanatomy to first-year medical students. From there, he frequently continues on to the headquarters of So Others Might Eat, (SOME), a private, non-profit organization serving the poor and homeless in Washington.

Here, he provides treatment to patients in need at the organization’s free clinic. Other afternoons, Dr. Simmons volunteers as an instructor at Julius West Middle School, where he offers one-on-one mentoring to kids who can benefit from intensive guidance to reach higher scholastic levels.
Hebrew Home is a community that provides quality and compassionate rehabilitation and long-term nursing home services to those in need. The community is located in Rockville, Md., just outside the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

Thanks to his motorized wheelchair and Metro Access, a shared-ride, curb-to-curb transportation service for individuals with disabilities, the doctor enjoys the freedom and mobility to pursue his medical and social service commitments. Although he has been a resident at the Hebrew Home for the past five years, where he receives daily care and assistance as well as access to special therapeutic equipment, Dr. Simmons has been able to arrange and maintain an active schedule that defies belief.

Having graduated from high school at age 14, medical school at age 20, served in Viet Nam and survived POW captivity, earned one Ph.D. in American History and a second Ph.D. in Economics, taught high school, practiced neurosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital over a 20-year period, and, last but not least, attained the title of grandfather, Dr. Simmons has experienced enough victories and challenges, past and ongoing, to fill several lifetimes. And, he is certainly not done yet!

Medical supplies and equipment fall into two major categories: medical supplies and durable medical equipment. Medical supplies generally refers to products that are used to make patients more comfortable and need to be replenished on a regular basis. Durable medical equipment includes items that are long-lasting and are generally one-time purchases. Medical supplies and durable medical equipment can be used together or separately to help elderly and disabled individuals maintain their independence and mobility.

Medical Supplies
Medical supply products help individuals cope with and manage the symptoms of illness or old age. Products include specially adapted socks and stockings, protective undergarments, skin care products, cushions and positioners, and many other helpful items. A wide variety of daily living aids are also available to help individuals who need assistance with bathing, dressing, or taking medication. Home health monitors let patients track everything from blood pressure to heart rate. Specialized in-home tests also allow patients to track their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Durable Medical Equipment
Durable medical equipment includes items that help elderly or disabled individuals maintain mobility and/or receive necessary care in the comfort of their homes. These products are designed to help those who need extra assistance performing the tasks of daily living. Durable medical equipment products can be broken into two major categories: mobility products and care assistance products.

Mobility products include a wide range of highly advanced equipment to help individuals get around. From Scooters to canes, products are available for every mobility need.

Scooters are available in a range of styles and feature various options to meet individualized needs. Many individuals find outdoor mobility challenging and are searching for a personal mobility vehicle that can help them continue to participate in activities they enjoy. Others need more comprehensive daily assistance. Today’s wide range of scooters are more maneuverable, lighter, and more durable than their older counterparts and can be customized to fit every lifestyle-from that of the active outdoorsman to the individual with decreased mobility who wants to remain independent.

Lift chairs are another popular mobility product. They look like standard recliners but provide assistance with moving from a sitting to a standing position. Most chairs provide settings that allow users to move comfortably and easily from lying, to sitting, to standing.

Stair lifts complete the motorized mobility offerings that are available to help today’s seniors. Stair lifts allow individuals to move from one level of their home to another with ease, eliminating the sometimes dangerous and difficult task of climbing and descending stairs. Stair lifts help seniors avoid becoming confined to a single level of their multi-story home. Advanced technology makes modern stair lifts smaller, quieter, and more attractive.

A wide array of wheelchairs, walkers, and canes are also available to help those with mobility assistance needs. Technology has dramatically increased the range of options available and the quality of mobility products, from the high-tech wheelchair to the low-tech but highly durable cane. As mobility technology has enhanced, seniors have found it increasingly easier to remain independent, even as their abilities change, and continue participating in the activities they enjoy.

Care assistance products include hospital-style beds, equipment to help with transferring, specially formulated mattresses that help reduce pressure, respiratory equipment, bathroom safety aids, and other equipment that promotes safety and wellness. All of these products are especially important for individuals who wish to remain in the home environment during an illness or convalescence. Durable medical equipment can also make the caregivers job easier by providing them with professional grade products to help meet their caregiving responsibilities.

Paying for Medical Supplies and Equipment
Medicare helps pay the costs for durable medical equipment. According to Medicare, in order to be covered, “items must be reusable, such as walkers, wheelchairs, or hospital beds.” Durable medical equipment for home health services is paid for under both Medicare Part B and Part A. Medicare coverage varies, and some equipment must be rented, while other equipment must be purchased. Durable medical equipment regional carriers can provide more specific information on coverage by Medicare.

Coverage by private insurance for durable medical equipment will vary greatly depending on the company and the specific policy. Coverage for medical supplies by both Medicare and private insurance will depend on the products required, specific medical needs, and doctors’ recommendations.

Finding a Medical Supplies and Equipment Provider
Medical supplies and equipment providers can offer a single solution product or multiple products to meet a range of needs. Before purchasing from a medical supplies and equipment provider, individuals should be comfortable with the professionalism and reliability of the company. Request specific information about costs and product delivery time frames. Consumers should also be aware of any warranties that cover maintenance, repair, or replacement of durable goods.

Finding a reliable provider is an important decision. The products that these providers deliver can lead to important and positive changes in the lifestyles of individuals with increased health care needs, decreased mobility, or who simply want to maintain or increase their level of independence.

Recently, Elenor found herself shaking, lightheaded, dizzy, cold and nauseated. She slowly made it to the bathroom. While in the bathroom, she fainted and fell. When she fell, she hit her head on the closet door under the sink. When Elenor came to, she pressed her Lifeline button that she wears as a pendant around her neck. She recalls, “I immediately felt calmer and my panic was gone.”

Elenor continues, “In a few minutes, paramedics were in the apartment and soon after I was taken to the hospital.” At the hospital, she was relieved when she found that her son was already there to meet her. Elenor’s doctor was also immediately notified by Lifeline. The doctor was briefed on her condition and summoned to the hospital right away.

Despite her initial reluctance to use a personal emergency response device, Elenor now truly understands their importance. She states simply, “I didn’t want the Lifeline alarm, but it saved my life!”

In retrospect, she realizes that her emergency situation could have ended much differently. “I might have passed out again, and it could have been many hours later before my son realized I didn’t answer the phone and something was wrong,” Elenor says. She concludes, “If you think that you do not need the alarm button, you are wrong!”

Elenor is now living back at home. She is secure in the knowledge that her Lifeline is just a button push away. Elenor is also confident that she will remain in her own home, living independently, for some time to come.

Finally, you call the police, family members, The Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return Program, and friends to help search for him and pray that he will be found safe and unharmed.

Sometimes, missing loved ones are found safe; but sometimes they are found hurt and battered and cannot explain how they were hurt or what is hurting them. They can’t remember why they left, or where they were trying to go.

This can become your worst nightmare, especially if they end up in the hospital and are unable to communicate with the doctors and nurses who sometimes seem insensitive to your loved one’s needs.

Your personal concerns grow: How could this have happened? What could you have done differently? How can you keep them safe? No matter what we do, we cannot watch them every minute of the day – 24/7. We need support from family, friends and organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association.

I’m sure you may say: “What can I do? My family works, and I don’t have the time needed.” My friends want to help, but they are too busy or afraid of my loved one and don’t know what to do. You think you are too busy for support groups or any other organization that might be able to assist. How would they know your needs anyway? They may advise you to place the person with Alzheimer’s in a nursing home, but that is not what you want to do. You feel that no one will care for him like you will. The nursing home is not like being at home. There are too many patients and not enough staff. Also, what about the cost, when you are already loaded down with lots of bills and a mortgage.

You feel all alone and that no one understands what you are going through. But remember: We all go through something-maybe not the same thing because every situation is unique, with different needs, but we all face challenges. In this case, there is help-if you will only seek it.

Start with the Alzheimer’s Association, or join a support group. You will not believe the amount of information and assistance you can receive. What do you have to lose? Call today; gain from my experience.

Sincerely,
Otelia Spivey

Mrs. Spivey wrote this article as she sat by her husband’s bed after he wandered off during the night. After many hours, and thanks to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return Program, Mr. Spivey was reunited with his family and taken to the hospital for medical attention.

After a fall over a phone cord in her home, which pushed her femur into her hip socket, doctors determined that Mrs. Gicking would need corrective surgery. The doctors at Mt. Vernon hospital corrected the injury with three screws in her hip, but she needed rehabilitation in order to return to her home and her active life. She decided to go to Mt. Vernon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for her recovery. “Other rehabs were offered to me, but I decided to go to Mt. Vernon because it was close by. I knew people who had stayed there, and I had heard good things about it,” she recalls.

Like many of today’s nursing home residents, Mrs. Gicking was admitted for a short-term rehab rather than a long-term placement. During the course of her 15-day stay, Mrs. Gicking received therapy every day. She says, “I got wonderful care at MVNRC. The people were great, and by the time I left, I was well on my way to a full recovery.” She was able to use a walker when she was discharged and quickly graduated to a cane during the following seven weeks of in-home therapy.

“It was a very pleasant stay in every way, and I think that my speedy recovery was in large part due to the high quality of care I received,” says Mrs. Gicking. Her recovery was a positive experience partly because of the attentiveness of the staff. She points out, “You have to remember that these people are caring for people who are in pain everyday. That is why I was so impressed by how caring and sympathetic they always were.”

The beautiful dining room and the high quality of the food that was served were also surprising to Mrs. Gicking. “I didn’t expect the food to be good, but it was wonderful. I looked forward to my meals!,” she says.

Mrs. Gicking has made a full recovery and, at 81, is still living independently. While she is happy to be home, she also enjoys having the freedom to travel across the country to visit her children and grandchildren. She laughs and says, “I now tell everyone that I don’t have a screw loose.”

Johnson’s strength, stamina, and courage are remarkable-but not altogether surprising considering she is Superman’s mother. That is, the real-life mom of Superman actor Christopher Reeve. And Johnson’s story – one of hope for the future – is the centerpiece of Living Proof, a national educational campaign for senior citizens.

Johnson’s life was profoundly and forever changed nine years ago when Christopher fell from his horse during an equestrian competition. The accident made him a quadriplegic. It also transformed him from an American movie idol to the nation’s leading advocate for neurological and spinal cord research. And, it has moved his mother to tell her own story publicly, for the first time, in an effort to encourage other senior citizens to do the same.

As a youngster growing up in New York and Connecticut during the depression, Johnson was exposed to tuberculosis. Her nurse died of the contagious respiratory disease, and Johnson was sent away for several months to a sanatorium in South Carolina. When she returned she began to experience asthma attacks, and again she was sent away from her family, this time to a school in Arizona where she lived for four years. The separation from her family was agonizing for her.

In high school and college, Johnson often was left out because of her illness. “I couldn’t run or play field hockey with the other girls,” recalls Johnson. “Cold affected me. And the slightest illness would go to my lungs. But I always tried to participate.”

Medicine finally caught up with Johnson’s determination with the introduction of asthma inhalers 30 years ago. Today, many new medicines are available to help control this increasingly prevalent respiratory illness.

“I’m telling my story not just for me or for others who suffer from respiratory illnesses,” explains Johnson. “I’m hopeful for the future of medicine because of research. And I am well aware of the need for research. Yes, I’m sharing my story for myself and for Chris, but also for my father who died of Alzheimer’s and for my son with diabetes and for the members of my extended family who have suffered from Lou Gehrig’s (ALS) and Parkinson’s. All of these stories should be told, and I encourage other seniors to share their experiences through Living Proof.”

Says Living Proof spokesperson Jayne Mackta, “Senior citizens are living proof of the value of medical research. Their lives are testaments to the pain and suffering so many have endured. But their experiences can also teach us how medicine has changed, offering health and hope to so many.”

Senior citizens are invited to participate in the Living Proof project online at www.Living-Proof.US or by sending their stories in the mail to: Living Proof, P.O. Box 360, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0360. Stories will be archived and available to the public on the website.

Living Proof, an educational history campaign designed to document the amazing role medical research has played in the lives of all Americans, is being sponsored in New Jersey by the New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research, a coalition dedicated to improving human and animal health through biomedical research. Living Proof is a project of States United for Biomedical Research and the National Institutes of Health.

A now accomplished dancer, Mrs. Gatta looked for new challenges. She joined the Women’s Reserve of the United States Marine Corps when she was 21 and attained the rank of Second Lieutenant and later also achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. Although she was not permitted to fly in combat, she did fly Corseair and P38 planes from the factory to Marine and Naval bases.

During one of her first visits to the officer’s club, Mrs. Gatta received the nickname that has stuck with her-”Big Mama.” One of the officers noticed 6-foot Dorothy strutting through the door and said, “Oh brother, look at this Big Mama coming in.” Mrs. Gatta still answers to “Big Mama” today.

Dorothy met her husband, Michael, while they were both serving in the Marines. The couple moved to California and raised their two children there. After completing her military service, Mrs. Gatta returned to school to become a dietician, a position she held for 15 years.

At the age of 47, she had a stroke and was in a coma for three months. While recovering, she moved to Culpepper Gardens in Arlington, VA, an Independent and Assisted Living community founded by her daughter, where she lived for 10 years.

When she was 80, Mrs. Gatta was admitted to the hospital after a fall at home. In order to recover fully from her fall, Mrs. Gatta moved to Sleepy Hollow Manor Health and Rehabilitation Center in Annandale, VA.

According to her Physical Therapist, N. Freer, Mrs. Gatta has made an impressive recovery, “Prior to starting rehab, Ms. Gatta required a mechanical lift to get in and out of bed, had poor balance, and was unable to walk. After her course or therapy, she is now able to walk with a quad cane and get herself in and out of bed. She walks around her room with the cane without assistance and uses her scooter for mobility around the facility.”

While overcoming the challenges of rehabilitation, 82-year-old Mrs. Gatta never lost her indomitable spirit. In addition to serving coffee to her fellow residents in their rooms, she has also organized a group of 10 to 15 other residents who all work with her to make non-reflective Rosary beads for our service men and women in the Middle East.

The group has made over 2,500 Rosaries for our troops. Following a remarkable recovery, “Big Mama” is thrilled to be able to continue to help her fellow service men and women and to brighten the lives of her fellow residents with her cheerful and positive attitude.

What is a PRS?
A PRS is a relatively simple tool to help keep the user in contact with friends, family, and, if needed, emergency services. Each system has three elements: a portable radio transmitter (help button), a console connected to the user’s telephone, and a response center to monitor the calls. In case of an emergency (a fall, chest pains, suspected intruder, etc.), the user simply calls for help by pressing the button on the radio transmitter.

The console picks up the signal (much like an automatic garage door opener) and automatically phones the response center (even if the phone is off the hook). The call is routed to the response center where the caller is identified through special coding. The monitoring center’s first response is to talk with the user and verify that an emergency exists. This can be done through two-way voice communication or by calling the user back on the phone. Next, monitors will call responders or emergency services to answer the call for help (even if they can’t reach the user by phone).

The features offered by many PRS providers are expanding at an astounding rate. Some systems now offer services such as companionship – the user just pushes the transmitter button and can talk with the response center for any reason. Other systems offer a speaker phone feature with their PRS that allows the user to answer the phone from wherever they are in the house, preventing accidents and aiding the disabled. Staff at the response centers often receive extensive training in such fields as gerontology and stress management, so they can better serve their clients.

As with any other purchase, seniors should seriously consider their specific needs and budget constraints before deciding on any one system. It is a good idea to get written quotes from several companies before making a final decision.

For more information about specific PRS vendors, check with the office of the state Attorney General, local consumer affairs office, or the Better Business Bureau to see if the company has had any complaints filed against them. Your local hospital may also be a good resource to look into; many hospitals offer PRS rentals, which are affordable and reliable.

For additional general information about personal response systems, consumers should consult the Federal Trade Commission’s report entitled “Personal Emergency Response Systems.” The report is free. Consumers can have a copy mailed to them or can review the information online. To request a copy of the publication, call 1-877-382-4357. The report is also available on the FTC’s website. Visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/pers.htm to view a complete copy of the report