Assistive Technologies that Will Help Keep Seniors Connnected and in Touch

It's a part of life: growing older results in the eventual reduction of dexterity, vision, hearing and more. This, however, does not mean that the quality of life has to change when it comes to simple conveniences and the use of modern hi-tech gadgetry. Here are a few technologies that any senior will appreciate.

There was a time, not so long ago, when having a home computer was considered to be a luxury. Today, almost every home has at least one computer, and in many cases, one computer per household member - whether it be a portable or a desktop. For the older generation, there are options that can make personal computing comfortable and enjoyable.

Although often overlooked, Windows 7 includes the Ease of Access Center for those that need enhanced assistance when operating a computer. With these particular settings, a PC can be configured to be operated by voice recognition, doing away with the use of a mouse and keyboard. Other adjustments may be made such as the removal of unnecessary visuals, font and mouse pointer enlargement, and keyboard response.

Additional assistive technologies include the Magnifier, which magnifies a portion of the screen much like a traditional magnifying glass, Narrator, which read screen text aloud, and an On-Screen Keyboard, which can be controlled by a traditional keyboard or any preferred pointing device. A great keyboard replacement option is the Keys-U-See keyboard that has bright yellow keys with large bold fonts for better visibility.Not everyone has, wants, or is comfortable using a computer.

For non technical parents and grandparents Presto is a great way to share content without the need to own a computer. An alternative for communication by email, and for document and photo sharing, Presto is a combination of the Presto Printing Mailbox and Presto Mail service. With these two services, documents such as emails, photos, and more can be sent directly to an email address assigned by Presto. An HP Printer which acts as the printing mailbox, is connected to a phone line and routinely downloads queued emails from the Presto service through a toll free line. Another great feature Presto includes subscription services, such as, the "dailysmile" - an automatically delivered photo-a-day from Facebook. Alternative options include HPs e-All-in-One series of touchscreen printers. That support network connectivity and wireless printing.

If we aren't using email to stay in touch, we are most certainly using our phones. Over the years, mobile phones have traditional become smaller and smaller. With keypads that are micro-sized, or intimidating touch-screens; mobile phones simply aren't senior friendly. Fortunately, Emporia offers a line of phones that are perfect for seniors. These phones sport large buttons, and include an SOS button which sounds an audible alarm and automatically dials a preset number.

Resources:

Microsoft Windows 7 Accessibility
HP Web All-in-One
Presto
Emporia
Keyconnection Large Print Keyboard