Date published: 20.05.2020
Assistive technology is being used every day to make the lives of vulnerable people easier and safer. Below you can find out about how assistive technology could be of help to you or your loved ones and discover exactly what technology is available.
What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology is a broad term to describe a piece of technology that allows a person to perform a task they would normally struggle with as well as increase the safety and ease of certain tasks.
Who Can Benefit From Assistive Technology?
Lots of people can benefit from assistive technology, some of the people who may benefit from certain assistive products are:
- People with physical disabilities
- Older people
- People with mental disabilities such as dementia or autism
- People with diseases such as diabetes or strokes
- People with gradual functional decline
What Products are available?
There are many products available from different companies and services for those who are in need of assistive devices. You may be able to receive some of these products for free from your local NHS services if they feel it will help you or your loved one with their everyday life. If the products are not provided to you by the NHS you can also purchase them privately for a reasonable price online and in-store.
Landline Phones
If you or a loved one struggles to use the landline telephone, there are a range of assistive landline phones available. You can purchase a telephone with larger buttons for ease of use as well as phones with larger screens to allow you to see who is calling you before answering the phone. There are also some landline telephones that allow you to put names inside buttons on the phone for those who struggle to remember phone numbers to make calls easier and quicker.
Mobile Phones
Most people in the world currently own and use a mobile phone, for those who struggle with small writing and touch screens we offer a mobile phone that can aid in the ease of making phone calls to loved ones or for help in a time of need.
If you struggle when trying to use common smartphones such as iPhones you can still enjoy the style and usefulness of a smartphone with the Able2 mobile phone. You can still take pictures and videos, send text messages and make calls with this phone. It can increase volume for those who struggle to hear as well as connect to your hearing aids.
Panic Buttons
Panic buttons are very useful for those who live by themselves and are worried about falling or having another accident with no way to call for help. Panic buttons can be worn as a bracelet or a necklace, and when pressed they can either send an emergency call to a family member or emergency services to let them know you are in need of help.
Pocket Magnifiers
Pocket magnifiers are magnifying glasses with LED lights to allow you to read smaller text with greater ease, whether you struggle to read books or the newspaper, a pocket magnifier allows you to read in any light and location.
Magnifying Reading Lamps
If you struggle to read whilst in your home whether that be in your bedroom or living room because of lack of light or due to your eyesight you may benefit from a magnifying reading lamp. You can buy magnifying reading lamps in varying sizes from small bedside lamps to full-sized floor lamps to aid your reading no matter where you need it in your home.
