Caring for Loved Ones - Flying Blind & Deaf

My mom's eyesight and hearing go down hill so I'm constantly looking for things to improve her quality of life.

Finally got her into a Mac - the new $499 Mini Mac - which does everything she needs it to do (email our wide-spread family group) and more.

Best of all, she doesn't have to worry about clicking on the wrong (e.g. malware-ridden) thing and muck up the computer; easy to do if your eyes aren't at 100% and you're on a PC.

Add Bluetooth to the out-of-the box array to easily transfer images, music and programs from your laptop. Go to iTunes and find a bunch of songs from when your older parent or pal were in high school. Bingo. iTunes Billboard Charts go way back.

The downside is that there is no Mac preference option for increasing pointer size. But no worries, among the helpful shareware ($10) programs for Mac, I found this one: Ultrapointer, which provides for just the right options for my sight-impaired mom.

Bingo.

One suggestion for Radio Shack's large-number digital clock: it would be good to make the numbers in white on a black field (and vice versa) rather than red on black. Easier to see. It's a good price point at $20 but she can't see it so it's useless. Grrrr. Anyone found a large-numbered desk clock with a small footprint that sight-challenged individuals can see?

This gift idea for loved ones whose hearing lessens - from a New Orleans restauranteur by the name of Colette - is for a wireless remote speaker. Set the speaker up by their chair, and connect it to the television's audio out. Make sure the thing has its own on-board volume control and that the subject television has an audio out. When I get back to DSL service (argh, dialup is relatively slow), I'll do some research & post the results in the comments here.

Finally, curly shoelaces for your aging friends with trouble bending to shoe-level. Not only do you not have to tie your sneakers, but you can easily slip them on. "Coilers" are available for $2 each (minimum order of 4 - with shipping it's $12) at http://coilersplus.com. These no-tie shoelaces come in an array of colors from black & white to pastel & neon shades, and festive mixes of all of the above.