nursing homes dont completely suck, i suppose...
i just got email from my aunt regarding my grandmother's nursing home's latest service:
Send email to your family member (thru the staff) with a letter (and photos). They will print the email and photos, and, if your family member is incapable of reading it themselves, they will read your letter to them.
how cool is that? now, instead of taking over a week to get a letter to them, you can get it sent instantaneously.