Today AgingCare has released a new version of the Caregiver Forum. In addition to stylistic changes to make the forum match the rest of the site, there are two new features we are excited to share with you!
1) New Menu: You will now be able to navigate through questions and discussions by topic via the menu along the left-hand side of the Forum’s home page (https://agingcare.com/caregiver-forum).
2) Edit Tool: Most importantly, we have released a new tool that will allow you to edit your newly posted questions, discussions and answers. Upon submitting a new piece of content, you will have 30 minutes to proofread what you have written and make edits to all fields in your post. After this 30-minute period, the editing ability will expire in order to minimize confusion for other users who are trying to search the forum and share information.
We hope you are pleased with these updates and additions. The forum may now look different, but it functions largely in the same way. If you find any glitches or experience significant challenges while using the site, please feel free to report your findings on this discussion.
1. The font in the answer box is disproportionately small, as a stand alone feature as well as in comparison to the already posted answers. The edit function will be necessary as I have to either enlarge when posting or lean over and squint. My back is already hurting!
This needs to be addressed ASAP. It's just too hard for me to post with the disparate font sizes.
2. Before discovering comment no. 1, I found that I had to reduce the font size of the existing posts b/c they were so disproportionately large that it was too hard to read. It was like seeing everything through a magnifying glass.
3. While this doesn't bother me b/c I don't read the ads, they too are now small. I think the problem is the font size of the answers.
4. I too have lost my personal account feed and as yet have found no way to access it. That's a major and significant loss.
I think I'll depart for a while and give the tech people time to straighten this out. It's just not worth squniting to post then backing off to read.
Okay, now I can't even get this message to post.
HELP!
However, the format and disparate font size problems seems to have been corrected. THANK YOU!
You can access the edit function via the pencil icon with the word "Edit" next to your username. This will appear on your original posts, answers and comments. Once you click on this, your post will open up in an editable text box, allowing you to make your changes. After you're finished editing, simply click the blue "Apply Edits" button.
If you are referring to the account box that used to occupy the right hand side of the page, you can still access this information by clicking on your avatar in the top right area of the navigation bar. You can also get there through the "My Account" link in the drop-down menu (three white lines) to the left of the AgingCare logo.
I hope this helps!
-AgingCareEditor
The one feature of the last batch of changes that got the most criticism was the formatting of the articles. So now the entire site is in that disliked format. What are you thinking?
Sorry, but this is just not something I want to deal with.
But there's obviously a problem with the font sizes and the formatting. As I'm typing now, the format is the previous format, stable and readable.
Alternately, and I never know when this will happen, the font is several times larger and only shows the original post of a thread as well as the posting box.
I can't read other's posts as I'm typing a response without opening another window and switching back and forth. Not only is that a nuisance, but it's hard on these old 72 year old eyes. I've already got eye strain.
Bookluver is apparently having the same problem of being unable to see other comments, so I don't think it's limited to iPad or Kindle access.
Perhaps these changes could be made at night or other down times, or just shut the forum for a day or so while all the glitches are worked out.
As has Jeanne, I've quickly lost interest in even trying to wade through all the glitches and irritations with font sizes.
TESTING
Complaint: OLDER POSTS ARE POPPING UP RANDOMLY 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 years ago!
This website is already very full of info.
I recommend an Archive feature by topic.
My husband says:
Reviving the sanitized lazarus posts may make moderation easier for AC moderators,
but my hubs says the forum should be allowed to progess organically. Otherwise, it leads to churn and stagnation.
My husband says you AC, will understand what he said.
I do like the EDIT function as my first proof-reading is bad. It's nice to correct typos and left out words. Now, if only you could have more space after the period at the end of the sentence, instead of one space. Makes reading a bit difficult for my old eyes, too.
Since they seem to want us to refer back to this for instructions they could have been proactive in bringing this post to the forefront instead of leaving our eager beaver friend to dig it up for us. And maybe we should be reminded of the advice they posted with the first site changes way back whenever...
Send, are you up for the challenge? LOL
Let me think about that, Cwillie. I think my eager beaver's dam was destroyed in the last storm. It is not fair to vent my frustrations to my tech husband when he cannot do anything about it except give me the words, to tell the AC . . . ., then, who knows.
Can you remind me of AC's advice early on, way back when? Because if it was to be patient, then, well, the burden may be too heavy for the few of us left. Those special people are the ones with cat avatars, standing for the cause of keeping the forum user-friendly, available as a great support in years past-to connect caregiver not only with advice, but good friends too.
After someone left, that person advised me that since this is a commercial site, a professional moderator is needed. This forum will not be the same without our first responder of the legal field, always knowing the right thing to ask the OP.
SO, already overwhelmed. Maybe I am just regrouping, need a strong leader.
Started by AgingCareEditor
6 months ago
In the coming months, we will be updating a number of aspects of AgingCare.com in order to improve the usability of the site for you, our members. The two most significant pending changes are a new navigation bar along the top of the site and an improved layout for our articles. These will be applied towards the end of July/beginning of August.
It will take a bit of getting used to, but it is our hope that this simplified navigation will help members and newcomers alike locate the information they are looking for. All of our articles, questions, answers, discussions, etc. are still live and intact, but they will be organized a bit differently moving forward.
For your reference, we have provided a quick guide to using the new navigation below. (NOTE: These details may not make complete sense until we publish the updates and you see them.)
-The Caregiver Forum (Support Groups and Discussions) can be found under “Ask a Question.”
-You can find information on all types of Senior Living under “Find Care.”
-To access content that was previously filed under Caregiver Support (Caregiver Burnout, Emotional Wellbeing, Tough Issues, etc.), click on “Caregiving.”
-Content that was previously filed under Elder Care (Daily Care, Health Conditions, End of Life and Hospice, etc.) can be found under “Healthy Aging.”
-The Money and Legal Section is located in a drop-down menu that appears when you click on the three lines next to our logo on the far left of the blue navigation bar.
-The search box can also be located in the drop-down menu.
To ensure you are logged into your account, look for your avatar in the top right of the navigation bar. (If you are not logged in, you will see the “LOGIN” link in that spot instead.) Once you are logged in, you can access your account information, news feed and public profile by either clicking on your avatar or using any of the “Membership” links in the drop-down menu described above. You can log out by using the link in the drop-down as well.
Improvements to our articles include larger, easier-to-read text, clearer formatting, and an accessible “share bar.”
As always, when it comes to upgrading or trying something new, there are bound to be a few kinks that will pop up and need to be ironed out. We sincerely appreciate your patience while we work through this process to make AgingCare as user-friendly and informative as possible. The entire AgingCare team has been working hard on these changes, and we are excited to finally share them with you!
We appreciate your feedback and will be actively monitoring this thread. If you have any questions or concerns about these updates, please feel free to post them below. Thank you!
I will add the link to that thread, but since we can't post hot links any more it hardly matters:
www.agingcare.com/discussions/agingcare-site-updates-205946.htm
The navigation change is neutral in my mind. Not something I would have asked for, but nothing that bothers me.
Some people are having trouble because their operating system is old and outdated. (windows xp?)
Another thing that might be happening is the thread you have been trying to follow is in "most helpful answers" mode, you can see an option to switch to "see all answers" right below the question/comment.
I use my phone almost exclusively. In the past I've noticed the phone options vs my laptop have varied quite a bit - for instance, viewing messages on the phone use to take a lot of steps or switching to desktop - I am happy that that is no longer the case. I hadn't noticed the recent vs popular option until you mentioned it - so thanks - it is better - but still a pain to scroll backwards - sigh - I suspose the old say "anything worth having, is worth working for" is gonna have to apply here, for me.
Rainmom, Thanks for the sports term.
Three strikes and I am out.
Does this happen both when you start a thread and when you are responding to one?
I'm pretty sure I've seen posts from you recently. This is very strange!
The comment box not placed logically near the most recent comments on top of the thread.
Threads that display "most helpful answers" by default, which also causes the top answer/expert answer to be displayed as the most recent answer.
I agree about the "most helpful answers" default display being confusing.
I still have a problem with the News Feed page, Aging Care page and others being a smaller font than the question or discussion threads. It means I have to change page magnification when I move from threads to these other pages.
If given a key to freeze a new thread as spam, or temporarily suspend a problem post, these volunteer moderators could ease the paid moderator's job.
Assistant Volunteer Moderators maybe. I could give you names, but I think the AC staff will know.
This is an example:
What should I expect for monthly rent with independent living?
Well, the rent SIX YEARS AGO would have been a whole lot less than now, in 2017.
The answer I gave was put back up by this morning. It was taken down yesterday.
Maybe someone without a sense of humor reported the post? Then, AC, with a sense of humor, put it back up?