Home office and its pitfalls

Recently I went to my daughter, who has been working from home regularly since Corona. She was sitting at her desk, with a laptop in front of her, a second screen, an external keyboard, and a headset on her head. The desk was nice and tidy and there were only a few sheets of paper with notes on it.

I noticed her posture. Her back was bent, her neck stretched forward, which was not SUVA-compliant at all, and I had the impression that she had to strain to properly read the tables on her small laptop screen. At the same time, she was comparing these entries with an Excel table on her additional, relatively small screen. She bought the latter herself so that she could somehow organize herself for work at home.

She told me that she has an ergonomic workstation in the office. With a cave screen, so it's big and easy to see. The desk at home... well. But she has the option of buying a standing desk through her business. No, she won't get one for free.

So much for health in times of Corona.

If senior citizens are involved in the work process and have to work from home, they will probably have the same difficulties as my daughter. Health in old age is being discussed at all levels, not least by the Health Department of Basel-Stadt, which is currently developing visions for old age using a survey. But I miss the critical view of old age and work. When we get older, we only talk about volunteer work, helping, care, social isolation. But there are also active senior citizens, like us here at Seniors@Work, who are not yet retiring but are actively and independently involved in the work process.

That is why I appeal to you, dear reader! Contact the Department of Health and take part in the online survey! Here is the link:

https://www.gd.bs.ch/dossiers-projekte/alterspolitik.html

You can fill out the form until September 20, 2020. And don't be afraid to share your opinion in the comments section.

And last but not least, I hope that all of you who work from home or offer to work from home have a better working situation than my daughter. Stay healthy!

Beatrice Isler