1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,600 Hello, and welcome back to the Paddock Room. I'm Margo. I'm here with Wayne, and this 2 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:25,400 is Talking Tech with Wayne, the podcast dedicated to discussing smartphones, smart homes, and 3 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:32,680 all those things in between. This show is a promise of information freely given to all 4 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:48,040 that seek it, and that is a pact between us and all of you. Log into our website, www.talking-tech.org, 5 00:00:48,040 --> 00:01:09,600 all lowercase www.talking-lowercase-t-e-c-h dot o-r-g. And click the Join the Discussion 6 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:16,360 button to join the discussion. While there, check out TV shows or click the Schedule a 7 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:23,240 call button to explore how to bring a Talking Tech discussion group to your local church 8 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:30,680 or community center. We also have a helpline where trained technicians are ready to answer 9 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:50,360 your questions 24-7 and best of all, it's 100% free. That number is 215-406-HELP. 215-406-4357. 10 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:58,640 Today we will be discussing assistive technology. As we age, it can become difficult to perform 11 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:06,840 everyday tasks, but assistive technology can help seniors maintain their independence and 12 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:15,280 improve their quality of life. Today we will be discussing the basics of assistive technology 13 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:24,120 and how it can benefit them. Let's start with the basics. Wayne, what is assistive technology 14 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:33,680 and how can it help our listeners? Assistive technology is any device or software 15 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:39,200 that helps individuals perform tasks that may be difficult or impossible for them to 16 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:47,840 do otherwise. Assistive technology can include devices like hearing aids, magnifiers, and 17 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:54,720 voice activated assistants as well as software programs like speech to text and text to speech 18 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:04,080 tools. That's helpful to know. What are some common challenges that seniors may face that 19 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:11,880 can be addressed with assistive technology? Some may face challenges when hearing and 20 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:18,840 vision and mobility and memory which can be addressed with this kind of tech. For example, 21 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:25,600 hearing aids can help those with hearing loss, magnifiers can help those with vision impairment, 22 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:33,040 and mobility ads like walkers and grab bars can help with mobility issues. Those are great 23 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:41,360 examples. What are some resources available for folks to learn about assistive tech? 24 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:47,360 There are many resources including community organizations, healthcare providers, and online 25 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:56,200 resources like assistive technology industry, association A-T-A-A-T-I-A, and the National 26 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:05,360 Institute of Aging. That's great to know. Thank you for those. Now, let's talk about 27 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:13,440 hearing and vision aids. As we age, it's common to experience hearing and vision loss. What 28 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:19,760 are some types of hearing and vision aids that can help? Some types of hearing aids 29 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:28,120 include behind the ear BTE hearing aids, in the ear ITE hearing aids, and receiver and 30 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:37,600 canal RIC hearing aids. These devices amplify sounds and can be customized for the user-specific 31 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:45,040 needs. For vision aids, there are magnifiers, closed circuit television, CCT systems, and 32 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:53,680 electronic glasses that can help improve visual acuity and magnify glass, magnify text or 33 00:04:53,680 --> 00:05:02,000 images. That's helpful to know. Wayne, what are some things that listeners should consider 34 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:08,720 when selecting a hearing or vision aid? They should consider the severity of their hearing 35 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:14,960 or vision life, the type of environment in which they'll be using the aid, and their 36 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:21,080 budget when selecting a hearing or visual aid. Additionally, they should choose a reputable 37 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:29,080 provider and ensure that the aid is properly fitted and adjusted to their specific needs. 38 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:35,840 Those are important factors to consider. What about costs? Are hearing and vision aids 39 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:44,080 covered by insurance? While some insurance plans may cover vision and hearing aids, they 40 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:52,760 can be expensive and may not be fully covered by insurance. Listeners should check with 41 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:57,880 their insurance providers to see what is covered and explore other options such as government 42 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:05,000 assistant program or nonprofit organizations that provide financial assistance for these 43 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:13,880 kinds of aids. That's helpful to know. Thank you for those. Now, let's talk about mobility 44 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:21,600 and accessibility aids. As we age, it's common to experience mobility issues. What are some 45 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:28,760 types of mobility aids that can help seniors? That's helpful to know. What about accessibility 46 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:37,120 aids? What are some types of accessibility aids that can help seniors? Some types of mobility 47 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:43,960 aids include walkers, canes, real shears, and electric scooters. These devices can help 48 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:50,200 seniors maintain their independence and mobility and can be customized to the user's specific 49 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:57,320 needs. That's important to consider. What are some things that seniors should consider 50 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:06,960 when selecting a mobility or accessibility aid? Some types of accessibility aids include 51 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:13,760 stair lists, grab bars, and bathroom safety equipment. These devices can help seniors 52 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:20,080 navigate their homes more safely and easily and can be especially helpful for those with 53 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:27,240 mobility or balance issues. Those are important factors to keep in mind. 54 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:36,680 What about costs? Are mobility and accessibility aids covered by insurance? Seniors should consider 55 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:42,240 the type and severity of their mobility issue, the environment in which they'll be using 56 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:48,680 the aid, and their budget when selecting a mobility or accessibility aid. Additionally, 57 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:53,880 they should choose a reputable provider and ensure that the aid is properly fitted and 58 00:07:53,880 --> 00:08:00,400 adjusted to their specific needs. That's helpful to know. Thank you for those 59 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:07,800 insights on mobility and accessibility aids for seniors. Now, let's talk about voice-activated 60 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:15,400 assistive technology. As we age, it can become difficult to perform everyday tasks, like 61 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:22,440 using a computer or turning on the lights. What are some types of voice-activated assistive 62 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:29,960 technology that can help seniors? While some insurance plans may cover mobility 63 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:36,200 and accessibility aids, they can be expensive and may not be fully covered by insurance. 64 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:40,560 Seniors should check with their insurance provider to see what is covered and explore 65 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:46,280 other options, such as government assistance programs or nonprofit organizations that provide 66 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:53,520 financial assistance for those aids. That's helpful to know. What are some 67 00:08:53,520 --> 00:09:02,560 things that seniors should consider when selecting a voice-activated assistive technology advice? 68 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:08,440 They include smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home, which can be used to control 69 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:16,240 smart home devices like lights, thermostats, and door locks with voice commands. Additionally, 70 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:23,440 voice-activated personal assistants like Apple Siri and Google Assistant can help seniors 71 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:29,800 perform tasks like setting reminders, making phone calls, and sending messages using voice 72 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:35,480 commands. Those are important factors to consider. 73 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:42,040 What about privacy concerns? Are there any risks associated with using voice-activated 74 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:48,480 assistive technology devices? They should consider the level of complexity 75 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:55,320 of the device and its compatibility with other smart home devices when selecting a voice-activated 76 00:09:55,320 --> 00:10:01,960 assistive device. Additionally, they should choose a device with good voice recognition 77 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:09,640 capabilities and a user-friendly interface. That's helpful to know. Thank you for those. 78 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:16,000 Now let's talk about assistive technology for communication. As we age, it can become 79 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:22,360 difficult to communicate with loved ones or participate in social activities. What are 80 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,640 some types of assistive technology for communication? 81 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:32,560 While there are privacy concerns associated with these devices, there are ways to minimize 82 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:38,920 these risks, such as disabling certain features like voice recording or regularly deleting 83 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:45,680 stored voice data. Additionally, users should choose reputable brands and follow best practices 84 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:51,640 for securing their home network to protect their personal information. 85 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:57,160 That's helpful to know. What are some things that seniors should consider when selecting 86 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:04,520 assistive technology for communication? Some types of assistive technology for communication 87 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:11,600 include speech-to-text and text-to-speech software, which can help seniors who have difficulty 88 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:17,920 speaking or hearing. Additionally, there are video chat platforms like Skype and FaceTime 89 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:24,600 that can help seniors stay connected with loved ones who live far away. 90 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:31,560 Those are important factors to consider. What about calls? Are a SIDD… 91 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:37,840 They should consider the level of complexity of the device or software and its compatibility 92 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:45,000 with their existing technology when selecting this kind of assistive technology. Additionally, 93 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:53,160 they should choose a device or software that is easy to use and has good customer support. 94 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:59,920 Technology devices or software for communication covered by insurance? 95 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:05,000 While some insurance plans may cover them, they can be expensive and may not be fully 96 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:11,720 covered by insurance. Listeners should check with their insurance provider to see what 97 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:17,040 is covered and explore other options such as government assistance programs or nonprofit 98 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:23,760 organizations that provide financial assistance for these devices or software. 99 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:29,600 That's helpful to know. Before we wrap up this episode, do you have any final thoughts 100 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:37,880 on assistive technology for communication? Yes, my final thought is that assistive technology 101 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:42,920 for communication can greatly improve the quality of life for seniors by helping them 102 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:50,000 stay connected with young loved ones and participate in social activities. By seeking 103 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:56,560 out and utilizing these technologies, they can enjoy a higher level of comfort and happiness 104 00:12:56,560 --> 00:13:00,760 in their everyday lives. 105 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:06,800 As with all of the information we share here, flex your Google search muscles, log into our 106 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:24,960 website www.talking-tech.org or call our helpline. That number is 215-406-HELP. That's 215-406-4357. 107 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:30,920 Well I see that's all the time I have for today. It has been my pleasure to be here 108 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:52,800 and I look forward to the next time we can do it again. I wish you all a farewell.