Lets reach out to older hams in Nursing Homes
Displaying 1-11 of 11
| Feb 22nd 2018, 16:49 | |
N0HWJTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I would like to suggest that we turn our efforts away from the young for a time and let us look at the older ham that is now in the Nursing Home or Assisted Living home, that no longer has access to Ham Radio. At one-time phone patching was a big part of hame radio, I would suggest we hook up our old phone patches again and then make phone calls to our older ham friends around the country in Nursing Homes- Assisted Living centers and allow them to take part in an ongoing QSO, and maybe even perform a CQ call, check in to a net they used to visit before they had to move to the Nursing Home etc. Any other suggestions on this subject would be appreciated by this 80 old ham that has been a ham for 60 years, and who knows if I live long enough I may benefit from this plan. N0HWJ |
| Mar 8th 2018, 08:46 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
It can be hard for a lot of hams to take direction from other hams. They often have suggestions, that, while well meaning, are impractical or impossible to carry out. Running a phone patch requires a pretty good signal, ruling out the many hams who need better HF antennas to enjoy the hobby in the manner they would like. I used to operate from a club station that ran phone patches during the Vietnam War. They put a 50 ft tower on a 50 ft building! A 4 element 20M monobander on a 26' boom at 100 feet with a legal limit amp worked wonderfully a decade later running patches for folks at the South Pole. I figured out how get on the air while taking care of someone with ALS who needed 24x7 care. As a high value station in the ARRL Centennial I realized I could just pop up on the air, run a pileup for 15 minutes, and disappear. That worked. Some hams may be able to retain access to their ham radio station by setting up remote access and negotiating access to the station with the new owner or renter of the property. Zak W1VT ARRL Senior Lab Engineer |
| Jul 2nd 2020, 17:48 | |
KN4FNITotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
N0HWJ/W1VT, Hey guys.. I just learned of a few older Hams in our area that are in the same condition. Given COVID, I know this is tough to help directly at the moment, but once this clears I agree with N0HWJ that this is a real need! Surely we can come up with a way.. I wonder if we donated some time if the nursing homes would let us install some radios.. Even one to share? Did either of you pursue this? Or come up with anything that works? N0HWJ.. Age is a relative thing.. I can see from the post you are a spring chicken! If there is an interest to continue this discussion, I am open to compare ideas. Stay safe and healthy! 73's Chris KN4FNI kn4fni@gmail.com |
| Jul 3rd 2020, 07:23 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
No, I've not done anything. Connecticut has been pretty hard hit by the pandemic, so I've only left the home for dental work and buying groceries in the morning when the stores aren't crowded. I'm not in a high risk group but I'm doing my little part to help if from spreading around. https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/03/health/coronavirus-lockdown-lifting-deadly-charts-intl/index.html This article has charts to show how effective lockdowns can be in controlling this disease. Zak W1VT ARRL Senior Lab Engineer |
| Jul 3rd 2020, 10:00 | |
AB3FNTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I live in a suburb of Philadelphia, and agree that ham radio is a great hobby for seniors. Over the past few years, I've given a one-hour talk / demo about ham radio to several groups of seniors. I also contacted a local veterans home about this, as well as a huge nearby senior living facility. And I wrote a dozen or so licensed hams in assisted living facilities. I was focused on showing how people with only an easily-obtained entry level license could use very cheap equipment such as an HT to communicate with other locals via the many repeaters in my area. Although I received a lot of positive comments about this, nobody was interested enough to take the next step, much to my dismay. I remain convinced that our seniors would benefit from ham radio, and that getting them on repeaters would be a good first step. But I wish I knew how to make it happen. Be well. 73 de Allan, AB3FN |
| Jul 6th 2020, 07:48 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Hi Allan, Thanks for your efforts. Your story may be helpful to others wanting to promote ham radio. Seniors living in group homes may have enough social contact as it is and that ham radio doesn't fulfill a need. Seniors who live alone and are socially isolated may be more interested in ham radio. It may also be that those of use who work hard to continually learn new things in life are the exception. I talk to hams who aren't interested in learning math, even though that would allow them to design their own radios. Zak W1VT ARRL Senior Lab Engineer |
| Mar 3rd 2021, 20:22 | |
jimvw57Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
There is a ham operator that had a 'medical Issue' and has been confined to a nursing home to recover. One of the members of our club took the initiative to set him up on a DMR radio and it made a world of difference in his recovery, not to mention the increase in his strength by keying the mic. Names withheld to protect their privacy. |
| Mar 4th 2021, 11:47 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
That is great story about someone volunteering to help out. Most hams don't have everything needed to make that happen--the time, the technical skills, the social skills to deal with the nursing home staff, and the patience to deal with the unexpected. Zak Lau W1VT ARRL Senior Lab Engineer |
| Apr 21st 2021, 09:21 | |
Davichko5650Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
This is a great suggestion, one I'll be exploring more in the future, A good friend was in Transitional Care after a stroke, and his having a DMR handheld not only gave him access to to his on-air friends, his Therapist said the PTT switch on the radio aided in his recovery!!! A challenge is operating HF, but with many remote-access stations on the air, that would be relatively easy to effect, especially looking at the digital modes. 73 de Dave, N0TXW |
| Apr 21st 2021, 09:25 | |
Davichko5650Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Our friend who calls frozen precip "White Fungus" !!! It was such a joy to hear his voice light up when we'd QSO with him throughout the time he was there!!! 73 de Dave, N0TXW |
| Jul 15th 2021, 12:11 | |
GeCriceTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Hi all. I`m a new kid on the block, I`m scheduled to take my tech class test this upcoming Saturday. I would suggest getting in touch with a local scout troup and see if they would like to pair up on a project like this. The scouts could learn about Ham radio and I'm sure the Hams living in the assisted living centers would love to pass on their knowledge. Just an idea being thrown out. Or dont the scouts do anything like this anymore? Jerry |
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