Quality of Life Issue

As the webmaster of Variety of Products for Deaf, Hearing Impaired, Hard of Hearing - HearMore.com and Products for Independent Living, Blind, Low Vision, Deaf, Physically Challenged - MaxiAids.com, which are websites that sell independent living products (eg. vibrating watches, talking watches, talking products, vibrating products and alerts, amplification devices, low vision products, magnifiers, etc.) I have witnessed an alarming number of people, who are physically challenged, who are not aware of the availability of products or technology, that would help them enormously with regards to their quality of life. It puzzles me at the lack of media exposure of these devices to many, who are either challenged in some way, or their families. Some of these products are simple and some are more complex with regards to their usage, but all in all, it boggles my mind. My daughter, who is deaf, who was aided with a cochlear implant, about 9 years ago, who has benefited so amazingly from the technology, of course had the exposure to the available technologies of hearing aids, when she was younger, of schooling, of disablity services, of assistive products like the ones we sell, and finally of the cochlear implant. Myself and my wife gathered information immediately and utlized it immediately, and continue to do so. I understand the nature of physical challenges with regards to different levels of compromise or challenge (Please excuse this estimation of level of challenge, or rating, if you will. I mean no disrespect to anyone with a challenge). A patient of my wife, who is a nutritionist, has low vision. She is a relatively young person. She was very unware of the many products available for low vision. It puzzled me. I showed her our maxiaids and hearmore catalogs, the websites, etc. But it amazed me at the lack of knowledge she had with regards to these products, which would enhanse her quality of life. Perhaps it's human nature, to adapt and then to stop looking for ways to make possible mprovements in ones managing their condition(s).
Perhaps that is the real issue. The issue of compacency. Of not seeing the background with the foreground at hand. The numbing effect(s) that life can have on an individual. Anyway these are some of my thoughts of the day.

Regards and Peace to All
Dr. Dave Suskin
webmaster@maxiaids.com
Products for Independent Living, Blind, Low Vision, Deaf, Physically Challenged - MaxiAids.com
Variety of Products for Deaf, Hearing Impaired, Hard of Hearing - HearMore.com
The Professional Choice for Low Vision Products - SeeMoreVision.com
Chiropractor

like what?

Technology is great, isn't it?

Quality of life is dependent on how accessible we human beings can make an environment for each other.

If more people validated sign language in addition to inventing better technology, I know our quality of life in general would increase dramatically. For deaf people in my opinion, communication equals quality of life. Thank goodness for videophone, relay services, interpreters, alarm clocks, doorbell/fire/baby alerts! Keep it coming!!

For people with vision issues, certain accomodations and technology could increase their quality of life. I don't know a lot about this, though.

As a totally deafblind person, I was fortunate to be introduced to various products for the blind during my blindness rehabilitation training (and products for the deafblind while in training at my local deafblind center). If it were not for this exposure, I would have been unaware of the many devices and technologies that could enhance my independence.

Some of the products I've benefitted from include a Panasonic talking clock/radio, Sharp EL-640 talking calculator, JAWS screen reader with Dectalk speech synthesizer, Braille 'N Speak, Comtek FM system, Dialogue XL-50 amplified phone (I used all of these products in my hearing aid days), Braille watch, Braille timer, James Remind-O-Timer, Perkins Brailler, PowerBraille 40 Braille display, Braille Star 40 Braille display, Alertmaster 6000 signaler with vibrating pager, TeleBraille (Braille TTY), etc.

With the availability of the Internet, more and more people with disabilities are becoming aware of these products. This is especially important to members of the elderly population who may experience a combination of vision, hearing and physical disabilities.

We are so fortunate to be living in a day and age when all of this technology is possible.

talking calculator? wow never thought of it