Henry’s Health And Medical Advice

Posted on: 13 September 2017

If you have a relative with a visual impairment who's struggling to retain their independence or who's worried about the impact their visual impairment could have on their day-to-day life, you may wish to support them as they explore the range of daily living aids that are available. These aids are designed to enable those with visual impairments to continue living the life they want to live. Here's an overview of three daily living aids your relative may benefit from:

Talking Labelling System

A talking labelling system can be used to help your relative identify a range of household items, and they are particularly useful for kitchen items and cleaning products. These aids consist of a portable scanning device that's similar to a pen and a set of labels that can be scanned with the pen. You record information onto each label, and when a label is scanned, it plays the recording back. You may want to make labels for food cans, dried foodstuffs and personal hygiene products. The labels can be reused, and they allow your relative to continue preparing meals, cleaning and managing their personal hygiene without having to ask someone to read labels for them or risk using the wrong products.

Digital Organiser

A digital organiser can be used in place of a paper diary, notebook or calendar. Your relative can use the voice recording option to make a note of appointments, shopping lists, instructions and important dates. If they attend a medical appointment and want to make a note of the information given to them by their doctor, they can easily make a few voice notes and replay them later. A digital organiser is an invaluable aid for those with busy lives or those who struggle to remember key pieces of information.

Text To Speech Scanners

Text to speech scanners are small machines that can easily fit on a side table. They allow your relative to keep their mail and important documents confidential, if they wish. When they receive a letter, they simply place it on the scanner and it will be translated into synthetic speech. This aid can help your relative manage their own bills and keep track of medical appointments. Portable text to speech scanners are also available, and these can be useful for reading restaurant menus, direction boards and product descriptions when shopping.

These are just a few examples of the daily living aids that are available for those with visual impairments. Your relative's ophthalmic nurse can help identify aids that could be of benefit to them, or you can visit a specialist shop to try out a wide range of aids.