As the home care industry evolves, so do the many solutions on offer for clients and those with sensitive needs; technology plays a big role in that. JC Explore, a technology support service from Jewish Care, is one of the many organisations pushing for the integration of assistive technology in care solutions.
From dementia needs to impaired sight, JC Explore has an array of gadgets on offer that will account for the needs of vulnerable people, making life easier and accessible for them. We were invited to their office at Amélie House, Golders Green in North West London for a walk though of their assistive technology how it can “increase independence and comfort using devices” as stated by their digital skills tutor, Charley Landsman.
We were first shown a pair of Bluetooth-connected iPad/tablet switches, which are intended for those with limited dexterity or fine motor skills. “Maybe arthritis, maybe cerebral palsy” as Charley stated. “You can actually operate an entire tablet with just the touch of a button.”
Single and Dual-Button Switches
On display were a single-button switch and a dual-button switch, which operate almost identically and can be programmed to do different functions. By pressing a button on either device, it will activate a scan that highlights the many icons on the tablet’s interface. When the desired icon is highlighted, the button can be pressed again to select it. “It takes practice but it means that anyone can use their device.”
Bluetooth Keyboards
A similar solution to dexterity issues that JC Explore have are their Bluetooth keyboards, which are typically used to combat the inconvenience that small touch screen keys can create. Charley told us “It could also help if there is a visual impairment and someone needs to type, but they’re used to typing on an actual keyboard, not so much on a screen.”
Large Keys Keyboards
There are many options of varying size and colour, but the ‘large keys’ keyboard uses both of those aspects to its advantage. “There’s actually a few things on here that make it so accessible, the fact that the keys are big in the first place. Second of all, that the colours actually denote the type of key it is. For example, the blue keys are function keys, the orange keys are are punctuation keys, red are numbers, green are consonants and purple are vowels.” The font of choice for this keyboard is Comic Sans, a deliberate decision my the manufacturer as it is “scientifically the best font for dyslexia” according to Charley.
Reader Pens
Charley brought us to the other side of the display to show us their reader pens. Another pair of intuitive devices, the C-pen and the Orcam reader pen are used to make reading accessible for those with any visual impairment.
The more affordable of the two, the C-pen is used similarly to a “highlighter” pen, as Charley describes. “It’s got some sensors at the base of the tip… you basically run it across the page like a highlighter and it will read out the highlighted text for you. It’s also worth mentioning it works best on type face.”
The Orcam, on the other hand, is more expensive due to its camera and audible feedback features. “It actually takes a picture of what you’re trying to read… and it will read the full page out to you.”
VR Headsets
JC Explore has also adapted video game technology. Many of us are familiar with VR headsets, but most of us don’t realise the role it plays in the world of accessible tech. With a VR headset, immersive videos of familiar locations can be loaded into them for people with dementia and other memory loss conditions. “Unfortunately, we live in world where a lot of people cannot leave their homes. They have places they would like to go, places they would like to reminisce about.” Charley added. “If a location is recorded using a 360 camera and somebody is wearing this headset, they can look around that place and it’s like they’re there.”
This is just a few of the many devices JC Explore were kind enough to demonstrate for us, all of which are available to the public. As Charley explains, “when it comes to renting any kind of accessible equipment, its worth going through the local authority. Some local authorities do have programs where you can rent certain accessible equipment, like Medequip. But they can also be purchased privately at a higher price.”
JC Explore have many more devices on offer such as an accessible roller-mouse, joystick, telephones and more. You can learn about these devices by watching our full assistive technology walkthrough at Amélie House available below, with Charley and Polly Landsberg, our palliative care manager. SweetTree is proud to now be partnered with JC Explore, meaning that all of our clients can benefit from technology support. To find out more, contact us today.