I have a family member that is going blind and we are trying to simply their home life. What are some aids or tweaks you have made around your house or routine that make life easier?
OldManOnFire17 points1y ago
The absolutely most important thing is to not leave the dishwasher door open. Ever bang your shin on one of those? Oh boy!
It really doesn't take much adjustment. I've put a rubber band around the shampoo bottle so I can tell it's shampoo and not conditioner. I've put rubber bands on my kitchen spices, too. One for curry, two for nutmeg, three for cinnamon, etc.
Those are really the only adjustments I've made. The problem is when my wife makes adjustments. She rearranged the kitchen a few months ago and I still don't know where the lid to the blender goes. If there's a blind person in your house, DO NOT change things up without including them in your plans. It's better if you let the blind person decide where the food goes. A can of chili and a can of peaches are the same to us. So is a can of Pepsi and a can of Bud Light. If we put the groceries away ourselves we'll know where to reach for the items we want.
Other than that, just keep the floor clean. Push the chairs under the table when you're done eating, don't leave the box from Amazon on the porch, and don't leave glassware on the edge of the table or the counter.
JessConstantino8 points1y ago
I like this also steak knives when used designate a spot for them so I always put mine on the left upper corner by the sink that way when I go to find them I don’t cut my fingers. I like don’t leave the dishwasher open. True story I tripped over my dishwasher and went face first into the corner cupboards. My glasses somehow got stuck to my forehead and I had to have them surgically removed. Thankfully I was wearing glasses when I fell though. Otherwise I could have hurt my eyes! Which I’m very protective of.
[deleted]1 points1y ago
Got a good bit here already. I would say get some training while you are at it for cane, independent living skills, and technology.
Get in touch with the state agency they can help.
blind_cowboy2 points1y ago
Lol I don’t want to count the number of times I did the same on the trailer hitch that I put on my ex-wife’s pickup.
OldManOnFire1 points1y ago
User name checks out
OkMessage10432 points1y ago
My spouse did the same thing once. I’m divorcing her. Lol.
vwlsmssng8 points1y ago
- Talking radio (no longer available) - Talking food scales - Talking people scales - Talking microwave oven - Screen reader and magnification software on home computer - Ipad / iphone with VoiceOver enabled - Apps on iPhone include "Seeing AI" and "Soundscape" - high contrast light switches and electric sockets (chrome against white walls) - don't leave doors open on washing machines, dishwasher, cupboards - Tiling around shower enclosure has a high contrast decorative horizontal band to break up the sameness - floors are kept clear - things stay in the usual places - nothing is allowed to stick out at face level - bumpon stick-on coloured dots to mark important dial positions or button locations on appliances - tandem for cycle rides together - induction cooking hob with knobs for controls (not touch sensitive controls) - illuminated hand held magnifiers - monoculars: wide angle fixed focus and higher magnification focusable - liquid level indicator that make a sound when the cup is nearly full - bigger button and tactile house phones - Electronic medical thermometer that has a display that as well as showing your temperature in numbers as glows blue/green/yellow/red depending how healthy your temperature is - a collection of white canes by the front door (lightweight symbol cane, general purpose long cane, lightweight kept for smart occasions long cane) - subscription to Audible for audiobooks - colours of everything such as towels, furnishings, kitchenware, etc. are considered with a thought to the amount of contrast they will give against the background.
Some things in the queue for consideration are talking heating controls, accessible washing machine, speech enabled TV,
WEugeneSmith3 points1y ago
Everything on this list.
I woud add, if he has some vision, color coded measuring spoons.
Also, I recently bought colored drinking glasses after I broke two clear glasses in one day.
vwlsmssng1 points1y ago
We do have colour coded measuring spoons (calibrated in cups for USA recipes) but no one remembers which colour is which size.
And we have purple tinted plastic drinking beakers for everyday use. The clear glasses, if used, must be kept topped up with red wine for health and safety reasons obviously. As the sighted one in the house I'm tasked with promptly cleaning, drying and putting the clear glasses away at the end of the meal.
WEugeneSmith2 points1y ago
Obviously!
[deleted]3 points1y ago
Pretty conprehensive list.
KillerLag8 points1y ago
What is the cause of the vision loss? Different eye conditions causes vision loss in different ways, and there can be some suggestions that are more targeted.
If there are kids in the house, start teaching/reinforcing them to put things away in the same spot (everything should have a home it goes it). That goes double for things on the ground that are tripping hazards (shoes, skateboards) and don't leave stuff sitting on stairs (because tripping on stairs is much worse).
kaosi_schain [OP]6 points1y ago
Likely cataracts. No kids thankfully. We are going to try and find furniture that is waist height to store things on instead of the floor, like shoes, etc.
KillerLag7 points1y ago
If she has usable vision, high contrast colours could also help make some things stand out for her to see.
niamhweking2 points1y ago
That's funny cos itsmy eldest daughter that is VI and her and her sister are the ones that cause all the trip hazards and do everything you say not to do!! :)
LilacRose328 points1y ago
I’ve got a sheet of stick on 3d gems. This really useful for marking things like keys, buttons and the dial on my washing machine.
There are specialist products that can be used for the same thing but I’ve found these cheaper and a bit more fun
KillerLag8 points1y ago
As a specialist, I buy the same things from the dollar store. You can also use cabinet bumpers (https://www.amazon.ca/GorillaGrit-Clear-Drawer-Cabinet-Bumpers/dp/B06XCGM8JT) like these or stick-on velcro if you need different textures. They also work well on microwaves.
lhamil641 points1y ago
Do you (or anyone) know if something exists like this for capacitive touch buttons? Seems like a lot of appliances these days are using those, and it would be nice to make them more tactile.
KillerLag1 points1y ago
I'm not sure if these would work for that type of screen, but I know some of my co-workers have used these for the touch screens for iphones, so clients can use them to locate specific things on the screen.
I really like this idea and I think she will too! Just bedazzle everything. Different shapes signifying where stuff goes. I like it a lot.
Vicorin3 points1y ago
I used to use stick on googly eyes for the same thing.
[deleted]1 points1y ago
Hahaha! I like that!
[deleted]1 points1y ago
Yeah don’t buy the rip off stuff I showed someone and they’re like I’ll buy it from home deepo hahaha!
Central_Control5 points1y ago
Just throwing in Google Home mini speaker or Alexa. Pressing a button to get the time is one thing, talking to something is better. It also does weather, convertions, medication reminders, etc... Probably already have at least one, but if you don't then get one.
kaosi_schain [OP]2 points1y ago
I just set it up 2 days ago! I am going to get one for me as well, these little things are handy as heck around the house.
jmc-035 points1y ago
Hi. Sorry, may I ask the reason for her/his vision loss? Maybe I would suggest having pattern points on her daily routine or way just to guide her. Also, avoid appliances or appliances' edges that could hit them. I discovered a few online websites lately to buy things for my cousin's condition, there are some but make sure to check first. One of them is evika.io
kaosi_schain [OP]5 points1y ago
Bad cataracts due to age. Vision loss seems to be starting at the center and spreading out, so she still had periphery vision to an extent for now. Full blindness is pretty eventual though, from what I hear.
niamhweking4 points1y ago
Id suggest getting a tassimo coffee machine, single cup, no fear of spills/scalds etc. If not and pouring boiling water is necessary, put the cup on a tray so that of spills happen, they are contained on the tray.
Have a clean ping pong ball to put in a container that they are pouring liquid into, as the ping pong ball rises it shows how full it is getting.
Some of these might not be necessary as they person adjusts
r_12352 points1y ago
That pingpong ball trick is legendary!
I am trying to minimize the number of gadgets I buy, and this pingpong ball just gave me reason to not consider that liquid meter.
Although, guests at my home might be discusted in beginning if they see a ball in their drinks. Lol!
SoapyRiley1 points1y ago
Oh the ping pong ball is brilliant. I can’t tell you how often I overfill and then slosh the drink out by screwing on a lid. Will be using this!
rumster4 points1y ago
If they use the internet they need to start using screen-reader software now. It is important to make life easier for them moving forward.
vwlsmssng7 points1y ago
I always advise people to learn about tools like VoiceOver on the Ipad/Iphone in pairs so a sighted partner can both assist and empathise with the learning struggle.
OP, Voiceover is a setting on Ipad/Iphone that completely changes the user interface to make it usable by visually impaired people. Android phones have something called Talkback which is comparable but by all accounts not as good.
Brilliant-Ad14912 points1y ago
I really like smart home stuff. In particular the Google nest thermostat! Using the Google assistant I can tell it to turn on the heat or AC and I can also tell it to set it to a certain temperature. I can also ask what the current temperature is in the house. You can also control the thermostat using the Google Home app on your phone!
SoapyRiley1 points1y ago
Literally a designated spot for everything and get rid of any extraneous things. Less stuff=less confusion and less to put away.
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