Manage Your Medication with Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology Products, AT Basics, AT Loan Library No Responses »
Feb 032010

Did you remember to take your pills today?  Whether you’ve got a cognitive impairment or are just plain forgetful, assistive technology can help you stay on track with your medication.  Here are a few adaptive aids we have available at the INDATA Loan Library.

Pill Organizer

Pill Organizer

Pill Organizer – This tray will hold a week’s worth of medication, up to four doses a day.  Each compartment is labeled both in print and braille with the day of the week as well as the time of day (Morn, Noon, etc).

MedReady Medication Pill Box Reminder – The manufacturers of this handy device have thought of everything!  Not only does this pill tray have 28 different compartments for nearly a month’s worth of medication, it has an alarm!  When the alarm sounds, a little window slides open for you to access your pills.  You can set the alarm to go off once, twice, three times, or four times a day, and the alarm volume is adjustable.

Voicemate – This portable device monitors blood glucose and will also identify insulin vials.  It talks its user through the process of pain-free testing and identifies vial labels.  Very easy to use for those with low vision.

Talking Watch – If you don’t necessarily need a container for your medication, a talking watch is a great reminding tool.  Set an alarm for whatever time you need to take your medication and hear the time announced by a clear female voice with the touch of a button.

If you found these items intriguing, come see what else we have in store for you at the INDATA Loan Library!

Posted by SNorman at 1:06 pm Tagged with: , ,

AdBlock for Better Web Viewing

AT Basics No Responses »
Feb 022010

Google Chrome IconWe’ve all had it happen to us – you visit a website but you are instantly thrown off by the bouncing advertisement that just won’t seem to leave the screen.  While it might be easy for a person who has no visual impairment to find that tiny “x” and close the ad, those who use screen magnification programs might have difficulty tracking the flying ad down.

You can download plug-ins to your browser that will block these advertisements from popping up on your screen.

For Google Chrome, download Privoxy.  Once you download it, follow these instructions for installation.

If you are a Firefox user, download the AdBlock Plus plug-in.

For those who run Internet Explorer, download the newest version IE7pro, which has many built-in features to block advertisements.  You can read this extensive tutorial on the browser’s ad blocking properties.

Posted by Sara C at 1:05 pm Tagged with: ,

Product Review: Trekker Breeze

Assistive Technology Products, AT Basics No Responses »
Jan 292010
Trekker Breeze

Trekker Breeze

Imagine that you are on vacation, visiting a city that you’ve never been to.  You want to leave your hotel and walk around to the local shops and restaurants.  You’re not sure where to go or what to do, but you want to make it an adventure.  And –  you’re blind.

Most people might think that it would be impossible for someone who is blind to navigate around familiar buildings or public areas, let alone places that they have never been before.  Yet advances in technology have allowed for people with disabilities to enhance their independence.

Enter the Trekker Breeze, a GPS system from Humanware.  Breeze can tell you what the street names are at an intersection, how large the intersection is, and names of businesses.  For instance, if you are on a bus, Breeze will tell you what the intersections are when you reach them so you know when it is your stop.

You can also record your own landmarks into the Breeze for routes you take often.  Maybe you want to make a note that there is a bench at an intersection or where bus stops are.

Breeze weighs only 7 ounces and is small enough to fit in your pocket.  It has a built-in speaker with volume adjustment and eight hours of battery life.

Humanware has a great demonstration video that shows a person using the product.   Would you like to get your hands on this device?  Check it out from the INDATA loan library or contact Carol Girt (cgirt@eastersealscrossroads.org or 888-466-1314) for a device demonstration!

Posted by Sara C at 1:44 pm Tagged with: , ,

Justine's AT Story

Asstive Technology Stories, INDATA Projects No Responses »
Jan 272010

Justine and CCTVHer story is one that begins with a love of art and ends with a return to independence.

Justine Horlander is an Indianapolis native diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa Inversa. It is a disease that she was already familiar with. Her mother, grandmother and eight-year-old son, Nathan, all have some form of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), an optical disease caused by damage to the retina with symptoms including loss of peripheral vision. But Justine has the inversed form of RP that causes, instead, central vision loss. A 1989 graduate of Herron School of Art with an emphasis in graphic design and illustration, Justine’s artistic abilities were challenged and creativity halted with the onset of RP. Her eye doctor encouraged Justine to work with Easter Seals Crossroads, thus beginning her journey into the world of assistive technology.
Easter Seals Crossroads introduced Justine to her first piece of assistive technology — the CCTV. It uses a video camera to magnify an image, which is then seen on a monitor. Finally in 1994, Justine was able to continue her work in photography with the CCTV. She not only can look at her photos, but also can read mail, recipes and phone lists.
In 2009 when she started working with Belva Smith, Training Coordinator in the Assistive Technology Department at Easter Seals Crossroads, Justine was introduced to ZoomText — software that is used to
magnify what is seen on a computer screen. With ZoomText, Justine can now send e-mails, plan for her family’s vacation to Croatia and organize her thousands of photos.
Before assistive technology, Justine had to put her work on hold whenever someone wasn’t around to help. Now, she can use her CCTV and ZoomText on her computer to help her son with homework, produce her
art and do many other things that people without RP can do.
Justine is extremely grateful for her assistive technology and to Easter Seals Crossroads — this combination gave her back her work, her passion and her life.

This story was first premiered in the INDATA Winter 2009 Newsletter, which you can read as a tagged PDF. Interested in a demonstration of low vision products? Send an email to Carol Girt, device demo pro, at cgirt@eastersealscrossroads.org or call 888-466-1314.

Posted by Sara C at 1:18 pm Tagged with: ,

Even More Recources for Visually Impaired: Digital Media Follow-Up

Assistive Technology Products 1 Response »
Jan 202010

We received some very useful feedback on our recent post Digital Books and Media: Access for Visually Impaired.  Here are a few more resources to add to the list, as well as an update.*

ReadHowYouWant – This organization works to convert text into large print, braille, and DAISY formats.  They have teamed up with over 70 publishing companies to make best sellers and other contemporary reads accessible for everyone, and are currently adapting 100 books every month.

ReadHowYouWant’s Twitter Profile

ReadHowYouWant’s Facebook Page

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped – Another wonderful FREE service that utilizes a network of libraries to circulate braille and audio materials.  Approximately 16,000 audio books can be downloaded from their website and over 10,00 titles are available in braille.  They can also loan out digital book players and have librarians on standby for further assistance.

AccessText Network – This exchange network supports the distribution of alternative college texts for people with print disabilities.  Institutions are provided with several disability service resources through this organization.

*Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic informed us that they are actually up to approximately 58,000 titles, both educational text and other titles.  Thanks again for the correction!

Posted by SNorman at 1:46 pm Tagged with: ,

Demo Day for Low Vision in Evansvillle

Events, INDATA Projects 1 Response »
Jan 182010

For the folks down or around Evansville, we’ve got another Demo Day coming your way.  The focus of this Demo Day is Low Vision assistive technology, and will take place on February 2, 2010.   Anyone interested in learning more about devices for the visually impaired can sign up for a half hour appointment.

Eye

Eye

Some of the devices to be exhibited include magnifiers for computer desktops, hand held electronic magnifiers, and specialty low vision glasses.  There will also be an introduction to the INDATA Loan Library.

The Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center will be hosting this event at 3701 Bellemeade Ave, in Evansville, Indiana.

Register by contacting Carol Girt at (317) 466-1000 ext. 2421, or e-mail her at cgirt@eastersealscrossroads.org.

So after you tune in to see what the groundhog predicts for Spring, head over to Easter Seals to learn how to make life at home, work, and school easier for yourself or someone you know with low vision.

Did I mention that it’s free?

Posted by SNorman at 1:48 pm Tagged with: ,
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