One of the keys to survival as a geriatric care manager is learning to find the humor in potentially anxiety-provoking situations. As I drove my client “Ralph” to see his cardiologist, his nervousness was apparent. In order to distract Ralph from his anxious thoughts I pulled out my new GPS unit and placed it in his lap. As Ralph clicked away at the buttons, I imagined which of these navigation systems I had at my disposal were better.
The first was my brand new GPS unit manufactured by Garmin, a company based in Kansas City. The second was Ralph, who was manufactured approximately 86 years ago in a small town in Oregon. Each of these systems had their own unique features, advantages, and shortcomings which I tabulated in my head as we drove.
Portability. The Garmin GPS navigation unit can be mounted on your windshield or dashboard and is small enough to be stowed inside your glove compartment when not in use. You can also unplug the unit and carry it with you wherever you go. Ralph needs to be placed in a soft, high-backed chair and may require assistance getting from your car to his home and into his bed when not in use. Taking Ralph with you requires a walker and frequent trips to the bathroom.
Durability. The Garmin GPS unit should be stored within the range of 32 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit or else its lithium-ion battery may become damaged. Ralph must be kept at a comfortable 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, or else he may become cranky and demand to be taken home so he can take a nap.
Accuracy. The Garmin navigation system pinpoints your exact location and provides you with turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Ralph will read the directions to you, but not necessarily in the right order.
Entertainment. The Garmin unit provides little in the way of pleasant conversation in the event that you become stuck in a traffic jam. Ralph is more than happy to tell you about his childhood in Oregon and how vegetables give him gas and why you shouldn’t have bought a foreign car.
Memory. The Garmin unit keeps your addresses in its memory so that you don’t have to type them in every time. Ralph folds up the directions and keeps them in his jacket pocket for safekeeping, and then forgets where they are when we need them.
By the end of our ride together, I came to the conclusion that both have a lot to offer. Whereas one of them won’t complain about my driving abilities or tell me why the country is going downhill, the other won’t tell me a delightful story about the lake we just passed or thank me for getting us to our destination. If faced with a choice, my fellow consumers, I’d say take both. Just be sure they’re both fastened securely in your car before moving.
