Gardening can be a fun activity for everyone, regardless of age or ability and today we want to focus on some simple ways to make this fun activity safer and more inclusive. 

Brian Norton, ATP, CEAS, director of assistive technology at the INDATA Project and Easterseals Crossroads, joined us Thursday to share how people can make gardening more accessible.

Accessible Gardening Tools 

Add-on Handles: maximize someone’s lifting ability and minimizes the need to bend/stoop 

Kneelers or Seats: help with back pain, strength and endurance 

Ergonomic Tools:

Curved handles allow for better wrist position and decrease stress on tendons and joints 

Telescoping tools require less stooping 

Pistol grips allow for better gripping 

Ratcheting pruners make cutting easier 

Large-Print Rain Gauge: easier for persons who are visually impaired to view  

Plant Snap App: Identify plants with your smartphone and receive information and advice on how to care for your plants 

Different Types of Gardens

Raised or Vertical Garden – Take the bending and stooping out of gardening, and bring the garden up to you. 

Sensory Garden – Create spaces where a garden can be enjoyed through someone’s senses. Plants of course! But also include different walkway materials, fountains, chimes, etc. 

“Instant” Salad or Salsa Garden – Less mess and super easy: Buy a bag or two of potting soil, lay them on your patio, and cut an “X” in them. Then plant a tomato, pepper or other veggie, and watch them grow. 

Resources:

Easterseals Crossroads equipment loan library features 2500+ items so you can try it before you buy it!

Agency Information:

Easterseals Crossroads promoting independence for persons with disabilities for the past 80 years.

The INDATA Project is dedicated to increasing awareness of and improving access to technology so persons of all ages and abilities can live, learn, work and play more independently.

Agrability Toolbox – find tools, techniques and suggestions for accessible gardening and farming.

For more information about the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, go to eastersealstech.com or call 888-466-1314. 

Want to improve your health and happiness in the new year? Need help staying present and focused? Have too many passwords and need to get organized?

If so, there are apps out there to help you! Wade Wingler, vice president of Easterseals Crossroads joined us todau with some of the top apps for people of all abilities to download in 2022.

Headspace

• Easy-to-use mindfulness app to take the seriousness and intimidation out of meditation
• Yearly Subscription: Student $9.99 – Family $99.99
• iOS, Android, Web
• Brian will show example on an Android device.
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.getsomeheadspace.android

Forest App

• Easily distracted? Need help being present and staying focused? Forest incentivizes not using your phone by growing a virtual forest, helping you develop healthy patterns and plant actual trees.
• Cost: $3.99
• Android, iOS
• Brian will show example on an iOS device.
• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/forest-your-focus-motivation/id866450515

LastPass or 1Password

• Too many passwords? Worried about privacy and security? Try a password manager.
• Create, save and store passwords, and have them instantly available on all devices.
• Monthly Subscription: Individual $2.99 or Family $4.99
• Android, iOS, Web
• Brian will show example on a computer web browser.
• https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lastpass-free-password-ma/hdokiejnpimakedhajhdlcegeplioahd?hl=en-US

Google Lens

• Search engine for the real-world. Identify & interact with text or objects within images.
• Snap a picture – identify the text – copy and paste it anywhere – read it – translate it and so much more.
• Android, iOS
• Cost: Free
• Brian will show example on an Android device.
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.ar.lens&hl=en_US&gl=US

Seeing AI (iOS) or Google LookOut (Android)

• Free apps that narrate the world around you
• Instantly read text, identify people, objects, colors, money and much more
• Free
• Brian will show example on an iOS device.
• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seeing-ai/id999062298

Alternate Apps

• Otter AI
• Microsoft Math
• LiveTranscribe
• ToDoist

Agency Information

• Easterseals Crossroads promoting independence for persons with disabilities for the past 80 years
• The INDATA Project is dedicated to increasing awareness of and improving access to technology so persons of all ages and abilities can live, learn, work and play more independently
• The INDATA Project has an equipment loan library with more than 2,500 items and devices.
• You can try something for free before purchasing it.

For more information about the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, go to eastersealstech.com or call 888-466-1314.

According to the World Health Organization, there were 200 million people over 60 years old in 1950; by 2000, that number had tripled to nearly 600 million; by 2025, it is estimated there will be more than one billion seniors.

National Senior Citizens is Friday, August 21. Its goal is to increase awareness of the factors and issues that affect older adults as well as recognize and acknowledge the contributions of seniors to society.

Brian Norton, Easterseals Crossroads, director of assistive technology, says it is important to help support them throughout the aging process, including providing services needed for them to continue to lead lives of independence. Today he joined us with products to help seniors do just that. Here’s more from him:

Assistive Technology for Seniors

• Anything that helps a person do something they would otherwise be unable to do
• Reduces reliance on other people and care systems
• Increases independence in all areas of their lives (home, work and play)

Aids for Daily Living

• Kitchen Items – High-Contrast Cutting Board, 2 Liter Holder, Lift Wear Steady

Reading

• Video Magnifiers (desktop and handheld) – Reading aids for people with low vision that maximizes the remaining sight so it’s possible to read and view printed materials (ex. mail, newspapers, recipes)

• Document Reader – A document reader converts text into speech and helps persons with low vision to read printed materials (ex. mail, newspapers, recipes).

Health

• Internet-Connected Health Devices – Track your health, and report it directly to health care providers (blood pressure, glucose monitor, Kardia Mobile, others).

• Medication Reminders – Remember to take medication at the appropriate times.

• Fall Detection – Alert a family member or loved one when a fall happens (Apple Watch and Walabot Fall Detection)

Communication

• Smart Speakers (Echo Show) and Tablets (GrandPad) – Simple and intuitive way to stay in touch with family and loved ones while socially isolated or lonely

• Amplified Phone (Clarity)/Caption Phones (Captel) – Amplified phones allow the user to turn up the volume as necessary to hear speech clearly. Caption phones have a built-in screen to display captions of everything the other person on the call says.

• Personal Listening Device (Bellman Audio) – Allows people to hear clearly in small groups or public areas where additional amplification is needed

Agency Information

• Easterseals Crossroads has been promoting independence for persons with disabilities for more than 85 years.
• INDATA project has an equipment loan library with more than 2,500 items.
• Try something for free before purchasing it
• Find out more at eastersealstech.com.

For more information about the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, go to eastersealstech.com or call 888-466-1314.

Helping people with disabilities have better online meetings, that’s just one of the many goals of Easterseales Crossroads.

COVID dramatically increased the need for virtual meeting options, particularly in the telehealth arena. According to the CDC, telehealth visits went up 154 percent in the last week of March 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. And according to Doximity, more than 20 percent of medical visits in the country are expected to be virtual this year. While virtual meeting software is proving to be vital and effective right now, there is still room for it to improve, especially for people with disabilities.

Brian Norton, ATP, CEAS, director of assistive technology INDATA Project for Easterseals Crossroads from INDATA explores online meeting tools for telehealth purposes and how to best accommodate people with disabilities during virtual meetings.

In addition to showing various features like colors and high-contrast text along with captions, he can also show how to mount a tablet (which is helpful for someone with a wheelchair) and talk about the importance of lighting.

Accessible Telehealth and Online Tools

COVID dramatically increased the need for virtual meeting options, particularly in the telehealth arena. According to the CDC, telehealth visits went up 154 percent in the last week of March 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. And according to Doximity, more than 20 percent of medical visits in the country are expected to be virtual this year. While virtual meeting software is proving to be vital and effective right now, there is still room for it to improve, especially for people with disabilities.

Telehealth and Online Meeting Growth

• Easterseals Crossroads went from four telehealth visits to more than 600 visits in just a few weeks.
• One in four disabled adults say they have high-speed internet and an internet-enabled device at home.
• Disabled adults are three times as likely as those without a disability to say they never go online.
• Only 39% of disabled adults have a high level of confidence in their ability to use the internet.

How to Choose Online Meeting Tools

Basic requirements:

• Reliable high-speed internet
• Device with video and audio capabilities
• Webcam

Five questions to ask:

• What do you need to do in your meetings? Face-to-face conversations; how many participants; are there breakout sessions
• How easy is the tool to use?
• Does it integrate into my existing technology?
• How much does it cost?
• Is it accessible? Does it work with assistive technologies; Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT); accessibility help desk

Making Online Meetings and Appointments Accessible

For meetings with the deaf and hearing impaired:

• Host the meeting or appointment in a quiet room where you are free from distractions.
• Use a headset to improve audio. Speak clearly and slowly.
• Captions or subtitles: process of displaying text to provide additional or interpretive information
• Eliminate unwanted shadows that skew facial expressions or appearance: Face the light source; Avoid overhead lighting; Use the right amount of light

For meetings with the blind and vision impaired:

• Make sure the speaker’s face is well-lit and clearly visible.
• Describe live scenarios and images.
• Read any text that appears on screen.
• Use larger fonts and a limited color palette with contrasting colors.

For meetings with people who have intellectual and cognitive disabilities:

• Repeat information if necessary.
• Use plain language during the meeting or appointment. Avoid using jargon.
• Build processing time/breaks into your event. Leave ample time for questions.

Tips for Healthcare Providers

• Provide and undergo continual telehealth training.
• Gather as much information from the patient as possible before the visit.
• For hearing or vision-impaired patients, provide accessible text summaries of your visits with them.
• Pay attention to body language to see if patients are distressed.
• Work on developing a warm, “webside manner.” Make eye contact. Speak slowly, clearly and with compassion. (A virtual visit can be uncomfortable at first, especially for people with disabilities.)
• Create a schedule for telehealth visits, leaving room for after-hours care and on-call support.
• Use software with a live chat feature.

For more information about the INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads, go to EasterSealsTech.com or call 888-466-1314.