Senior ChallengesBy: McNair Robotics

Common challenges for seniors(topics in this presentation are in bold)

Depression Isolation Fear (not health related, but still a

problem) Cost of health care Loss of independence Driving problem Mobility Bending Diabetes Cancer Stroke Obesity Hearing

Alzheimer’s disease Pneumonia Sight Cholesterol/High blood

pressure Arthritis (weakening of

muscles) Osteoporosis( bone

problems) Parkinson’s disease

Mobility

Mobility is the first major issue for senior citizens. As we grow older, our muscles grow weaker and we can’t necessarily move as freely as we used to be able to. Seniors can’t travel because their limits prevent them and that they can become uncomfortable.

Problem: Can’t move around as well

Solutions:1) Stay active (this

prevents your muscles from weakening)

2) Exercise your muscles regularly

Cancer

A major type of cancer is lung cancer. There are two types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and no cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is accountable for about 20% of diagnoses and is mostly caused by smoking. Smoking is the largest cause of lung cancer, being responsible for more that 80% of it. Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are all known causes of lung cancer. Smokers aren't the only ones at risk; Nonsmokers increase their risk through other sources, such as secondhand smoke, which increases their risk of developing lung cancer by 20 to 30%.

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells. Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells multiply when the body needs them, and die when the body doesn't need them. Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too quickly. It can also occur when cells forget how to die. There are many different kinds of cancers.

Problem: Several types of cancer

Solutions:1) Get early treatment

(see a doctor, have surgery)

2) Take medication3) Don’t smoke(for

lung and heart cancers)

Sight and Hearing

Sight and hearing problems are there not only for seniors, but also adults and children (it’s more prominent in seniors.) This is a rather easier challenge because there are already many solutions out there.

Sight Hearing

Wear glasses Use a hearing aid

Laser surgery surgery

Use a guide animal (such as a dog)

Have others help you (sign language, writing things down.)

Problem: Sight and vision problemsSolution:

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are two giant diseases that are rapidly affecting seniors.

Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s

The Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that ends up in degeneration of neurons in the brain. Some symptoms are tremors in hand, arms, legs, jaw, and face.

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. 

Solutions:

Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s

Use muscles regularly

Have a friend help with memory, or write yourself notes

The big challenge

All the previous challenges listed were big but the biggest, most toughest challenge of them all, was the one we focused on the most:

Bending!!!

Our first idea

Problem: Flexibility is an issue

that several people face once they are over 65. Some common problems are bending, stretching, and reaching.

Solution: Our senior partners told

us that doing laundry is a big issue for them because they can’t necessarily bend over, so we invented a moving pedestal that lifts when seniors want to put/remove laundry, and drops so seniors can put detergents and fabric softeners in their washers and dryers.

Our second idea

Problem: Our second problem we focused on was reaching. Seniors have trouble trying to reach objects on the floor and high up on shelves.

Solution: We solved this

by improving the already made “grabber.” Our design has buttons that you press, and it can bend to reach objects at the back of a high shelf.

Bibliography

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp

Kendrick Senior Community Center, Herndon, VA