Michigan's Assistive Technology Program
Assistive
Technology Connections
August 2009
In This Issue:
- AARP Study: "Healthy @ Home"
- Video: Transforming an Aging Nation
- Emergency Response Systems
- Tips for Making Your Blog Accessible
- Accessible Twitter and Web Accessibility Tweets
- Assistive Technology Exchange Highlighted
New Item!
- Calendar
- Subscription Information
AARP Study: "Healthy @ Home"
In the 2008 Study "Healthy @Home" study, eighty-seven percent of the 907 participating adults age 65+ indicated if they needed help caring for themselves they would prefer help provided in their current home and would be willing to give up some of their privacy to stay there. Technology categories include use of a personal computer; home safety devices, including activity monitoring and fall sensors; and personal health and wellness devices, including electronic pill boxes and medication monitors; and telepharmacy.
Video: Transforming an Aging Nation
The Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) produced this video about ways technologies can provide solutions to ensure that good decision making in health care is provided and supported by good information in the comfort of a home.CAST also produced a series of reports on the State of Technology in Aging Services.
Emergency Response Systems
There are many devices available that will instantly summon help in the event of an emergency. Sometimes called Personal Emergency Response System, Medical Alert, or Medical Emergency Response Systems, all systems work in essentially the same way: When emergency help (medical, fire, or police) is needed, the person presses the transmitter's help button. The person wears the transmitter around their neck, on their wrist, belt buckle or wheelchair. In case of emergency, the person calls for help by simply pressing the alert button, without needing to reach the telephone.
There are phones that have buttons which can be programmed to call friends or neighbors and a variety of services with monthly fees which will summon help. MDRC's Assistive Technology program has a few sample phones like this in our "small changes, Big Differences" training and demonstration kits. Contact one of the site if you'd like to arrange for a demonstration! The website Agingcare.com has an article about services which includes questions to ask when selecting a service.
Tips for Making Your Blog Accessible
This guide has tips you can use to make sure everyone can enjoy your blog. The American Foundation for Blind also has a web page "How to Make Your Blog Accessible to Blind Readers."
For a list of blogs about web accessibility, visit WebAim's The Accessibility Blog Roundup.
Accessible Twitter and Web Accessibility Tweets
The tool Accessible Twitter optimizes text features and color contrast options for screen readers and gives audio cues alert the user when nearing the character limit.
WebAim.com's Jared Smith writes: "Twitter has become an indispensable tool for networking, communicating, and information gathering and sharing. There is a strong accessibility community on Twitter. In the spirit of , here's a list of 30 of the Twitter users I follow and know of that post frequent and insightful messages on web accessibility .
Highlighted Item on the AT Xchange!
Aluminum portable wheelchair ramps: 10' portable ramp and 4' portable ramp. Would be costly to ship. Used 5 months.
- Condition: Excellent
- Listing Price: Seller is willing to give this item away for free
- Price when new: $1,172
- Location: Brighton
- Listing Date: July 28, 2009
The AT Xchange is a Michigan-based web site where people can buy, sell, or give away assistive technology (AT). Do you have a used AT item in storage that could really help someone who has a disability? It could be anything from a wheelchair, stair lift, Braille reader, or reacher! If so, just post a classified ad on AT Xchange.org. The AT Xchange is open to vendors who have used equipment for sale also don't worry about cost, AT Xchange is a free service!
Calendar of Assistive Technology Conferences and Events:
- September 21-23, 2009 - Atlanta, Georgia: The Wireless RERC State of Technology Conference on Wireless Emergency Communications hosts this event, bringing together domestic and international stakeholders to examine the potential of wireless communications technology for improving support and assistance for persons with disabilities before, during and after a natural or man made disaster.
- October 13-17, 2009 Minneapolis, MN: 27th Annual Closing The Gap Conference, Assistive Technology in Special Education and Rehabilitation The complete event includes 25 day-long, in-depth, pre conference workshops on two days (October 13-14), followed by three days (October 15-17) of one- and two-hour presentations, state-of-the-art commercial exhibits and hands-on opportunities.
- October 30, 2009 Los Angeles, CA:
The UCLA Center on Aging's second UCLA Technology & Aging Conference, "Living Longer and Better Through Technology." This day-long event will bring together national academic and industry leaders to discuss how the latest technologies in the medical, consumer, and lifestyle fields will help older adults live better, longer lives.
- October 13-17, 2009 Minneapolis, MN: 27th Annual Closing The Gap Conference, Assistive Technology in Special Education and Rehabilitation The complete event includes 25 day-long, in-depth, pre conference workshops on two days (October 13-14), followed by three days (October 15-17) of one- and two-hour presentations, state-of-the-art commercial exhibits and hands-on opportunities.
October 28 - 31, 2009 Chicago, IL: Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference.
- November 10 - 14, 2009 Westin Hotel in Westminster, Colorado: 12th Annual Accessing Higher Ground: Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference for Education, for Businesses, for Web and Media Designers.
- December 3 and 4, 2009. AT Across the Lifespan This year all proposals and registrations are online, utilizing a new website at www.atacrosslifespan.org.
MDRC Governing Board Meetings
Come
tell your story to the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition's Governing
Board. All meetings are open to the public and we encourage people to
attend. The next meeting is October 29th from 5 PM - 7 PM
All meetings are at:
3498 E. Lake Lansing Rd., Ste 100,
East Lansing,
MI 48823
AT Connections
This newsletter is a service of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, AT Program. Funding is through the Assistive Technology Act received through Michigan Rehabilitation Services. Subscriptions are free! For information, write to mdrc@prosynergy.org. Please mention AT Connections.
"The contents of this web page were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government."
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