I’ve been reading Marya Methven’s Straw Flowers blog for some time now, imagining her typing away at a laptop perched on her tray table in a Wi-Fi enabled nursing home. I was surprised to discover how far from the truth my imagination had taken me. When I heard how the blog was actually maintained, I thought it might inspire people to help more seniors get their thoughts and experiences out into the world. Imagine your elders transcending the walls of their LTC facility and reaching out to the larger community with their wisdom. My suggestions, if you decide to move ahead with this:
- Keep it positive and instructive — be the change you want to see in this world.
- Keep it going — it’s easy to start a blog, hard to continue. Make a frequency commitment you can handle.
- Be aware of privacy and interpersonal issues — consider the impact of what you write on the people around you.
- Be creative — a blog is fun!
The Straw Flowers Example
Step One: From her LTC facility in Florida, Marya handwrites the blog post early in the morning when her vision is best. She’s never even seen a laptop!
Step Two: A friend reads back Marya’s handwritten posts and makes any needed corrections before sending them on to Marya’s daughter Laura in Seattle.
Step Three: Laura types them up and posts them to the blog.
Step Four: Another friend prints out the posts and reads them to Marya in Florida.
