During a state-wide Extension training that our office
coordinated and hosted, I commented to the group how much I rely on certain
features on my cell phone. Whenever we
took a break, I simply set the timer on my phone and when the alarm sounded, we
knew it was time to reconvene. My phone
is only one of many devices I rely on daily to make my life easier. The same day as our conference, I was
scheduled to present a portion of a webinar on “aging in place” and “assistive
devices” and it left me thinking about all the devices available to us to make
life easier.
For many of us, the devices help us compensate for a
changing ability. I believe my most
important assistive device I use daily are my contacts or glasses. Sometimes I think about the pioneers who might
not have had access to proper eye exams and equipment. I can only imagine how my uncorrected
eye-sight might have directly related to my survival ability. It is safe to say that any wild game more
than three feet away would have been safe from becoming part of my meal! I’d have had a solely plant-based diet,
because at least I could get close enough to see the garden.
In 2012, MonTech and the University ofMontana Rural Institute Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Researchand Service teamed up with MSU Extension to share the message about
assistive devices for a variety of abilities and changing capacities. I thought, over the next few weeks, I’d
highlight a few devices that may be of use to you or someone you know.
One of the pretty cool devices is
called a PenFriend. This device is
similar in size to a small flashlight.
The pen comes with several stickers.
Following the simple instructions, the pen and stickers can be
programmed to “talk” to each other and the user. For instance, for a person with low-vision,
the stickers can be placed on prescription bottles and programmed. When the user hovers the pen over the sticker,
the pen talks. I programmed one sticker
to have information on a type of medication and dosage/time instructions. It took about 20 seconds. After seeing the pen demonstrated, a friend bought
the pen for her mother who deals with low-vision. She programmed the stickers around her
mother’s house. Her vision limits her
ability to see words on dials and controls of household equipment, but with the
pen friend she can “hear” the settings on her dishwasher, washing machine and
dryer, and oven range. Watch a video demonstration.
There are a huge variety of
devices available for people with varying levels of vision, but also for a wide
variety of needs. From talking clocks to
sock-pullers, there are a variety of devices to assist people with a variety of
needs. For more details, please contact
the MSU Extension Office in Teton County.
