[thefreshteapot]

when I am an old man, I hope my family make more of an effort than to plan for strangers to call me. This seems more for your own guilt than helping them. That said, I would have loved the chance to skype with my grandad or tap into his "what I am doing" view.

Knowing how many older folk play crosswords, I think an async game you can play is far more meaningful.

[prbuckley]

I don't take offense to your comment, in fact I think you are partially correct but your view is to simplistic. I don't think you appreciate how difficult it can be to provide care for some one with old age/dementia or a neurally degenerative disease like Parkinsons or Alzheimer's. Caregivers need more tools and this would be one that would help for some people. It wouldn't replace all the other things that you need to do as a Caregiver, technology is just another tool that can be used.

You do feel a great guilt and sadness watching someone you love slowly wither away over years. You are always thinking of ways to help but the hard reality is that there isn't a lot you can do except provide companionship.

But what do you do when you need a job to pay for all the other care this loved one needs? These things compete for your time and ability to provide companionship 24hrs/day. If I quit my job and moved across the country to take care of my father their wouldn't be any money to pay for the nurse's, medicine, and doctors. Plus all the other complexities of life that this would create for my wife and our plans to have a family. Caring for a sick person is complex.

[georgieporgie]

when I am an old man, I hope my family make more of an effort than to plan for strangers to call me.

That's a really rude statement. Also, you have no reason to think the parent commenter's father enjoys games, or even to think that an aged person with health problems is interested in puzzles over human interaction.

[thefreshteapot]

I stand by it, I dont think it is rude.

I think it highlights the focus we as technology advocates hold that technology can solve society based problems. Turn back the dial 50 years, we held our elders in far higher respect than we do today.

That said, I want to show you an example of something a bit more meaningful with skype and the older generation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17870178

Clearly this is not for all people, yet I feel it is more interesting than just to ring up and hold a "30 minute" conversation because someone is paying you to do it. Not only that but I would bet it gives some of these ladies focus, purpose, still have something to give to society.

[fauigerzigerk]

It's beyond rude. Saying something like that without knowing anything about the people involved, their relationship or what they do for each other is extremely nasty.

[polymatter]

In the general case, I think you're not rude at all and is a valuable comment.

But if you're refering to a specific person to whom you don't know their individual circumstances, and you do it publicly, then it is extremely rude. For the record I'm from the UK in case this is a cultural thing.

[tbeseda]

Is there data for well elders were respected now and 50 years ago?

I think this is a common cultural misconception. Much like "Americans are getting dumber," is socially manufactured.

[philwelch]

For one thing, nursing homes used to be unthinkable. You wouldn't kick elders out of the family home.

[nasmorn]

You could also expect them to die in a reasonable timeframe. Caring for someone for 6 months is a totally different thing from doing so for 6 years. It is a gift and a curse.