Useful Household Tools for the Visually Impaired
A research study indicated that around 12 million people aged 40 years or older have a visual impairment in the United States alone.
Considering this statistical information, it is essential to understand that many families have visually impaired family members, and some households can only consist of a visually impaired homeowner.
However, due to the technological advancements that have occurred in recent times, many household items and different appliances are designed to aid the visually impaired, providing them with added convenience and helping them perform various tasks around the house, which may otherwise prove to be difficult.
Let us discuss this in a bit more detail, highlighting some valuable household items which can prove to be of great help to visually impaired people when performing their everyday tasks.
Some Useful Household Items
Lighting
Many people think being visually impaired is devoid of vision, but that is not the case. By definition, visual impairment is a condition where an individual may lose all vision. However, there are many other cases where the person loses much of their vision but can still perceive objects to an extent.
Due to this, one essential household tool that every visually impaired individual should invest in is the installation of task lighting because sufficient lighting can significantly help the visually impaired.
When installing proper lighting in your home, it is essential to understand that the most illuminated areas should be where the most essential activities, such as cooking or reading, occur.
Furthermore, they should be task-lighting. When getting the lighting fixtures involved, you should ensure that they are positioned in a way that provides illumination to the task needed to be performed and not point them at your eyes, as they might hinder you.
To achieve the best angles to illuminate the essential household tasks needed ideally, you could install appliances such as clip-on and table lamps, as they are the least likely to point directly at your eyes.
Braille Labels
In addition to well-placed task lighting, a Braille labeler is another handy household item you should invest in. It can help you label certain items and equipment, making searching for them
easier.
Some specific retailers sell unique Braille labels and labelers. As the name suggests, they can be used to add Braille stickers to specific equipment so that the visually impaired can read them when looking for something.
Ever since this valuable household item emerged, many variations have launched into the market, including handheld labelers, pre-cut container labelers, magnetic can labelers, and clothing tags, to name a few.
Furthermore, it is recommended to label all the poisons, particular medicine, and other hazardous items in your house as soon as possible to avoid accidentally consuming them.
A Phone Entry System
The primary function and reason why an entry system such as this is an essential addition for every visually impaired individual are that it allows you to talk to people at the door.
For a visually impaired person, answering the door might become problematic because they might be unable to ascertain the person at it. However, with an entry system, they can converse with the visitor, making their job much more manageable.
Furthermore, some of the newly launched phone entry systems also come equipped with a device that can unlock the door at the tap of a button from the comfort of your seat so that any visually impaired person in possession of such a system wouldn’t even have to walk up to the gate.
Safe Flooring
One of the most serious hazards that can cause many accidents for an individual suffering from visual impairment or total blindness is slippery flooring and loose carpets.
However, there are many different flooring installations that you can apply to your home, which can prevent any slip and fall accidents from occurring, such as using a non-slip overcoat so that the floor does not become too slippery.
Furthermore, another solution to this issue is the addition of special carpets, which are industrially designed to be highly low-pile, preventing any possibility of slip and fall accidents from occurring.
Moreover, if you own a home with hard floors, you can cover the flooring with specially designed non-skidding rugs, taping down the edges with double-sided tape to prevent your feet from bumping into them.
Talking Devices
Due to the advancements technology has made throughout the years, many devices have been developed which are tailor-made to allow people to make several different tasks to be voice-activated, which is especially useful for the visually impaired.
A wide variety of many different types of talking devices have been launched in the market, such as the talking color identifier, which, as the name implies, is used by the visually impaired to identify colors around them, and some of them can correctly identify up to 100 different colors.
Wrap-up
This condensed guide discussed some must-haves for every household aiming to become visually impaired-friendly.
People affected by visual impairment can face many difficulties when performing even the most menial tasks, including simple household tasks.
However, investing in even some of the items mentioned above can be highly beneficial to your household if you are visually impaired or live with someone who is visually impaired.
