Visual aids for elderly mother with arthritis in hands

Can anyone give me advice about how to find the correct visual aids for my mother. She is 93 and has been treated for MD for about 3 years. One eye appears to have little or no sight and the other, which had been holding up had a haemorrage about a fortnight ago and her vision is now dreadful.

She saw an optometrist at the hospital quite quickly after the deterioration who advised 4 more injections and said at the end of the consultation that she would refer her to the low vision clinic at the end of the cycle. However after the first of this new cycle she has been sent an appointment for the low vision clinic for a month away.

She is is very distressed as the magnifying glass she has, with a LED light (provided by the hospital 2 years ago), is proving useless now and she has asked me to find her something in the interim which might help.

I don't live near her and so will have to do this online and by post and I feel quite out of my depth when I look at the choices as to where to start. Can anyone recommend the best hand held device they have found? She cannot cope with anything too complicated. Should I be looking at the highest magnification possible or different lenses? I appreciate that possibly this site does not allow actual makes to be named but possibly I could be privately messaged?

Also I have read that different techniques in reading are needed. Has anyone any tips how she can be taught this? She is generally very resistant to family attempting to help with any of the many challenges she has faced in old age and so I am looking for outside help. She is very sociable both keeping up with friends by post and phone, but when for instance I have offered many times to put addresses of her friends on labels or to re-write her address book in large black pen I have had no success - I know this is far from unique and I might well be the same in her position.

Unfortunately although she is in an excellent nursing home and a carer goes with her to appointments my mother insists on them letting her ask all the questions so I'm very worried she will not get the best advice at the hospital.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

[Hidden]

Hi Juliet,

Contact the RNIB or the macular society, both can give advice on vision aids. The Mac Soc also can advise on using peripheral vision. Both have websites and helplines.

You don't say why mum's magnifier is no longer good - is it the poor light or not enough magnification? The answer will affect your choice of new kit.

Also be clear on what tasks it's for.

My sight is not as poor as hers so I didn't buy from RNIB as very expensive. Basically look what they do then Google it to find cheaper ( obviously not same quality though).. Don't know if cheaper kit would work for her although not a lot of £ to waste if not.

Online Coopers of Stortford sell magnifier overspecs £6 ( I didn't like them as too strong for one eye too weak for other but might be ok for her), also freestanding illuminating magnifier A4 size £32 which I do like.

Any kind of tablet is good as can enlarge text. You need to know what she reads - news, books, magazines etc then ask advice in shop which is easiest to access them. Screen size also important - work out what size text she can see and go from there ( eg I would want big screen so see more than a couple of words at a time but you need to be led by her). I'm sure people on here can extoll the virtues of kindle etc etc

Lighting is v important. Bright but no glare.

Re her not accepting help - maybe do the address and labels thing but get the carer or home to give it her as if it came from them? An Easter gift perhaps......

Best of luck.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for such a detailed reply - lots to think about.

[Bobbie915 in reply to Hidden]

That sounds like very good advice from Eyesright. It sounds as if your mother is in the same position as myself. I lost central vision in one eye and the other is very poor. I used to love my Kindle, so light to hold but have changed my mind since my sight has become so poor. You need a good sighted person to do everything except read the book! Also, I agree with Eyesright about the size of the screen being important. What would be good is bigger but not heavier.

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Bobbie915]

Thank you both Bobbie and arwmd. I tentatively last week put out feelers for someone to come and read to her as family is too distant - I will pursue this with more vigour!

The real worry and problem, which we had anticipated, is that my mother is a technophobe and even the most dedicated and patient granddaughter failed to help her use a tv controller, a simple mobile or even a microwave and this was 15 years ago when her sight was fine. This is strange as she is a bright intelligent person but with a complete blank when it comes to modern technology.There seem to be so many aids on the market but using them will be beyond her. I found the simplest radio and that is successful to a degree but tablets, anything with a usb etc will be out of the question. That is why I have been looking for suggestions for the best magnifying glass that other people had found helpful - however I realise that everyone is different and what suits one person may not suit another.

Both the RNIB and the Macular Society have been helpful but I will get back on to them for further advice for this interim period before she goes to the low vision clinic - many thanks for suggestions.

[Bobbie915 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Juliet, It did occur to me after posting, that we all assume too much. Not many people your mother's age would be computer savvy. I am also interested in magnifiers (my husband has to read any mail that comes through the post) computers can't do that for you!! I had a look at the web site Eyesright suggested but the magnifier she likes is not listed. Maybe just out of stock.

Good luck with finding the right thing for your mother. She certainly sounds like a very independent person.

[arwmd]

I have to recommend personal readers (people not glasses). There is no appalliance as good as having a friend read to me for the socialization alone. Having such limited vision and in my case, hearing as well at age 88, the companionship is priceless.

[nymima01]

My mother is 92 and has dry AMD. She only has one “good” eye and that recently took a turn for the worst because of scarring of the macular (or over the macular). She has been getting “talking books” from the Foundation for the Blind for over 6 yrs now. She has a simple machine that she inserts the tape into and she can listen to a variety of books they send her. She doesn’t depend on any one to help her pick out books from their catalog and instead just lets them send from their library at random. Some are excellent books, and others she is not interested in, so she just sends them back and they send out new ones to her. She still lives independently, and the books keep her entertained for hours everyday. There is a digital format or an older version for the “player” she uses. She has the older version - much like a tape recorder of old. So she can use it without a problem. Push a button to listen and push a button to stop it.

We are in the USA. But I’m sure there are programs all over the world for this. They make little raised “buttons” to stick on the on and off buttons and this is what we used so she can find the on and off buttons quickly. They are bright orange in color. I hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to nymima01]

Thank you very much - that is helpful. I've discussed this with my mother and although initially not keen I think we made be able to persuade her to try talking books when she has been to the low vision clinic and possibly they can give her more confidence.

[RosMacularSociety Partner]

Dear Juliet12,

Please contact us direct and we can send you an information leaflet on choosing a magnifier.

We do free training in the eccentric viewing technique and steady eye strategy. I am attaching a link to our leaflet on Skills for Seeing which details this. Please contact us on the Macular Society helpline if your mother would like to be placed on the waiting list:

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

Just to make you aware, we are currently offering free 6 month membership. This is a good way to keep up with current developments:

macularsociety.org/6months

I hope that this addresses your query.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further help. The Macular Society helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.

Alternately, you can contact us via:

[e-mail]

Kind regards,

[Hidden in reply to RosMacularSociety]

Many thanks I will follow this up immediately - very helpful.