elderly-challenge-observation-2

(continuing from last week)

This week I have observed that the elderly have some problems: 2. Eye-sight

- Most elderly live in HDB flats. Upon taking the lift, they are not able to see the numbers on the lift button well and press the wrong button which will lead them to the wrong floor. This is usually because the elderly live in high-rise buildings. These high-rise buildings have many floors and thus many buttons to chose to take people to their floor. Due to the numerous buttons, the size of the buttons will most likely be small to occupy less space so that all the buttons can fit on the panel. For example, when the elderly comes back from buying their groceries, they have a lot of things to carry. When they enter the lift, they may press the wrong lift button and go to the wrong floor. They may not realise that they have gone to the wrong floor and spent time dragging their groceries around and waste their energy. Even though some lifts have brails, most elderly do not know how to read/ feel brail.

Solution 1: Leave a bigger area for the panel to fit larger buttons so that the elderly will be able to see the numbers clearly.

Solution 2: Use a card system; when you insert a card (specially designed) into a slot in the lift, the lift will automatically bring you to the floor you live. Alternatively, you can also have the old method of pressing the lift button if you need. (this will need to be in place so that guests and helpers will be able to take the lift)

- When the elderly reads books/ magazines/ contracts they may not able to read the words clearly. Being able to read is very important as it keeps the elderly's mind alert and active. Their arms/ hands may not be strong enough to hold up a book for a prolonged period of time.

Solution: Have a book holder to place the reading material. (adjustable to the needs of the elderly) This will enable them to read either in bed, at the table or on the sofa. The book holder will also have other functions which include:

- an adjustable magnifying glass

so that the words will be enlarged for the elderly to read clearly

- adjustable light source

so that the elderly will not strain their eyes

- a device to scan the text and convert to speech

so that the elderly need not to read when their eyes are tired but instead listen to the words

(like the function we have in our macbook)