Disability Apps and Accessories for Enhanced Independence
23 Oct 2023
There are multiple barriers that disabled individuals face on a daily basis. Whether you live alone or are caring for a disabled individual, there are multiple apps for adults with disabilities that can not only enhance their independence but allow them to complete daily tasks with ease.
Knowing which disability apps are best to download can be confusing and take up a lot of time as there are so many in the market. A lot of apps are tailored to one certain disability so this is something to look out for when finding the best technology for you.
In this article, we have outlined different options for assistive technology for disabled adults and the scenarios in which they would be appropriate.
What Disabled Technology and Accessories Are Available?
As technology continues to develop, there are more apps for adults with disabilities being released. Whether it is different accessories for your mobility scooter to help you when you’re outside, or apps to assist with independence, movement or communication. These can be found through the internet, on your app store or in your phone settings.
It is important to remember that some disability apps require a camera or microphone or may take up a lot of data, so check if the technology is compatible with the device you are using, and whether it should be used mostly on WiFi.
How Can You Use Disability Apps to Enhance Independence at Home?
There are many choices of assistive technology for disabled people that can be implemented into their daily lives to make tasks seamless and stress-free. We have outlined a few of them below:
Online banking app- Using an online banking app means that the individual or their carer can control their finances without having to physically travel anywhere. This not only alleviates stress with working out a journey but saves a lot of time.
Smart meter app- If your house has a smart meter, check with the provider company to see if they provide an app that allows them to top up, or check their usage. This gives them the independence to adjust their gas and electricity without needing to pick up the phone.
Heating control app- Mobility is one of the biggest barriers for adults with a disability as a lot of people will require a mobility scooter or wheelchair. Being able to change the heating through their phone means they won’t need to get up and go to the central controls, keeping them warm and promoting independence.
TV control app- Some people may have multiple TVs in their home, and remote controls can easily become lost. Controlling channels via a phone means they can watch whatever they want without needing assistance or having to look for the remote.
Assistive Technology for Disabled Adults on the Move
Going out and about as an adult with a disability can sometimes be a struggle, and there are various disability apps that can increase independence and reduce this struggle.
AccessAble- This is a prime example of assistive technology for disabled people, as they can use this to find accessible places to go in their location. Whether this is a restaurant, cinema or shop, you can use AccessAble to find somewhere that caters for you.
Blue Badge parking app- Searching for a parking space isn’t an easy task to do independently, especially if there is an event or the area is busy. Blue Badge parking will show people where there are free spaces which makes them easy to find.
Changing Places toilet app- Unless you have visited a place before, it can be difficult to know where the accessible toilets are. Using disability apps like Changing Places means you can look for accessible toilets all over the UK before you visit.
Sociability app- This is similar to AccessAble, as individuals can find venues that are accessible for their needs in the local area whether this is access for different wheelchairs or have certain features inside. However, you can also tag venues and add photos of you there for others to see with sociability.
Travel apps- Downloading travel apps such as Uber or Trainline (depending on how you are travelling) means you can receive real-time updates about transport and you don’t need to physically move or call anybody.
Communication Apps for Adults With Disabilities
Some disabled individuals are non-verbal or find it more difficult to communicate than others, so use disabled technology to assist them and their peers.
Subtitle Viewer- Some shows don’t have subtitles included in their features, so Subtitle Viewer means that they don’t have to miss out. The individual can choose their preferred language for the subtitles then watch away!
RogerVoice- This is a useful app for individuals who want to take notes during a phone call to refer to at a later time. RogerVoice will add captions to either phone or video calls in real-time and are kept so they can be looked back on at another time.
Relay UK- Relay UK was previously known as Next Generation Text and can help during a phone call for individuals who are nonverbal or don’t have advanced communication skills. This disability app will turn the words being spoken over the phone into text so you can read it. It also means you can type a reply, and it will read it aloud so the receiver can hear it.
Proloquo2Go- Offering assistive technology for disabled people such as Proloquo2Go means that everybody is able to be heard. It is a keyboard full of icons that an individual can click to create a sentence, which can be read by others or read aloud.
Accessibility Apps for Adults With Disabilities
Using an electronic device can be a difficult task in itself, which can limit the independence of individuals with a disability if not adapted to their needs. We have outlined some disability apps and systems that can give them back this independence, and allow them to continue using their devices.
Voice Access- This is an example of a virtual assistant, similar to Siri or Google as you can use voice commands to interact with your phone. Voice Access provides the opportunity to open apps, send messages and scroll in all four directions.
SwiftKey / On Apple Settings / Gboard- You don’t always need an app to use SwiftKey depending on which mobile device you have, but it allows you to form words and sentences by dragging from one letter to another.
DOTKey- This is a program that helps people type by using different hand gestures. If somebody only has one fully functioning hand or if they struggle with typing at speed, they can eradicate any struggle by using DOTKey.
Accessibility Menu- On a lot of smartphones, you can enable an accessibility menu which will perform different actions for you without you needing to click anything other than the screen.
Magnifying screen- Small text can be difficult to read on a screen, so most devices will offer a magnifier meaning you can select the preferred area and you will be able to read it at a larger text size.
Keeping your mobility scooter safe
For more information on how to keep your mobility scooter safe, read our interesting blog on how to prevent mobility scooter theft.
Enable Your Independence With Blue Badge Mobility Insurance
At Blue Badge Mobility Insurance, we offer a range of insurance options including mobility insurance, wheelchair insurance, travel insurance and carer insurance making there no better time to insure your freedom. Enjoy life with ease by pairing our insurance with your favourite disability apps.
If you think one of our insurance options may apply to you or someone you are caring for, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team.
We have more handy and informative blogs available, check out our Accessible Christmas Markets blog or our How to Prevent Mobility Scooter Theft post.