My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years, the
last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his physical
disabilities are hindering his means and desire to communicate
effectively.

He seems to think that a laptop would be a handy tool to help him
communicate as he finds it easier to hit keys than he does to write.

He's relatively computer savvy, but doesn't have very precise control
over his right hand ( his left being even less useful ).

Does anyone have any recommendations based on practical experience for
freeware that might prove useful? I found plenty of links, but unless
you're actually experiencing a particular disability it's hard to know
whether a certain app is useful or not.

Regards,



--
Steve ( out in the sticks )
Email: anyoldname(*AT*)gmx(*dot*)co(*dot*)uk

Steve H wrote:
>
> My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years, the
> last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his physical
> disabilities are hindering his means and desire to communicate
> effectively.
>
> He seems to think that a laptop would be a handy tool to help him
> communicate as he finds it easier to hit keys than he does to write.
>
> He's relatively computer savvy, but doesn't have very precise control
> over his right hand ( his left being even less useful ).
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations based on practical experience for
> freeware that might prove useful? I found plenty of links, but unless
> you're actually experiencing a particular disability it's hard to know
> whether a certain app is useful or not.
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
You might try the ACA for starters.(Amputee Coalition of America)
Http://www.aca.org They have a wealth of info and links for all type
of disability. Similar circumstances..limited use of hand...They helped
me a lot with pointing me in the right direction for info after my
amputation. Lots of good active message boards to try for info too


Dave

Dave wrote:

> Steve H wrote:
> >
> > My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years,
> > the last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his
> > physical disabilities are hindering his means and desire to
> > communicate effectively.
> >
> > He seems to think that a laptop would be a handy tool to help him
> > communicate as he finds it easier to hit keys than he does to write.
> >
> > He's relatively computer savvy, but doesn't have very precise
> > control over his right hand ( his left being even less useful ).
> >
> > Does anyone have any recommendations based on practical experience
> > for freeware that might prove useful? I found plenty of links, but
> > unless you're actually experiencing a particular disability it's
> > hard to know whether a certain app is useful or not.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> >
> >
> You might try the ACA for starters.(Amputee Coalition of America)
> Http://www.aca.org

www.amputee-coalition.org

They may have had aca.org in the past; but it's now owned by the
American Correctional Association.

> They have a wealth of info and links for all
> type of disability. Similar circumstances..limited use of hand...They
> helped me a lot with pointing me in the right direction for info
> after my amputation. Lots of good active message boards to try for
> info too
>
>
> Dave



--

--
Dan Goodman
Journal http://www.livejournal.com/users/dsgood/
Clutterers Anonymous unofficial community
http://www.livejournal.com/community/clutterers_anon/
Decluttering http://decluttering.blogspot.com
Predictions and Politics http://dsgood.blogspot.com
All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies.
John Arbuthnot (1667-1735), Scottish writer, physician.

Steve,

I sympathize with your situation, believe me. Just a suggestion: have
you investigated sound/audio apps that will allow him to control his
PC, type whatever, or even record audio messages to send, etc.? You'd
need, of course, a microphone, sound card, cables, etc. I found this
sort of setup to be a real lifesaver a few years ago when I installed
same on a friend's PC.

Hope you get some good advice here & some recommendations.
Please, report back here on what you uncover.

One other thing: you don't mention vision as a problem, but there are
freeware apps to zoom the screen size to a better viewing size.

Sorry, I don't have any specific apps to recommend, but I'll see if I
can come up with something.

Dan Goodman wrote:
> Dave wrote:
>
>
>>Steve H wrote:
>>
>>>My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years,
>>>the last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his
>>>physical disabilities are hindering his means and desire to
>>>communicate effectively.
>>>
>>>He seems to think that a laptop would be a handy tool to help him
>>>communicate as he finds it easier to hit keys than he does to write.
>>>
>>>He's relatively computer savvy, but doesn't have very precise
>>>control over his right hand ( his left being even less useful ).
>>>
>>>Does anyone have any recommendations based on practical experience
>>>for freeware that might prove useful? I found plenty of links, but
>>>unless you're actually experiencing a particular disability it's
>>>hard to know whether a certain app is useful or not.
>>>
>>>Regards,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>You might try the ACA for starters.(Amputee Coalition of America)
>>Http://www.aca.org
>
>
> www.amputee-coalition.org
>
> They may have had aca.org in the past; but it's now owned by the
> American Correctional Association.
>
>
>>They have a wealth of info and links for all
>>type of disability. Similar circumstances..limited use of hand...They
>>helped me a lot with pointing me in the right direction for info
>>after my amputation. Lots of good active message boards to try for
>>info too
>>
>>
>>Dave
>
>
>
>
Thx for the update on the url. it has been a while for me since I needed
them.


Dave

On 15 Sep 2005 00:35:49 GMT, "Dan Goodman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Dave wrote:
>
>> Steve H wrote:
>> >
>> > My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years,
>> > the last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his
>> > physical disabilities are hindering his means and desire to
>> > communicate effectively.
>> >
>> > He seems to think that a laptop would be a handy tool to help him
>> > communicate as he finds it easier to hit keys than he does to write.
>> >
>> > He's relatively computer savvy, but doesn't have very precise
>> > control over his right hand ( his left being even less useful ).
>> >
>> > Does anyone have any recommendations based on practical experience
>> > for freeware that might prove useful? I found plenty of links, but
>> > unless you're actually experiencing a particular disability it's
>> > hard to know whether a certain app is useful or not.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> You might try the ACA for starters.(Amputee Coalition of America)
>> Http://www.aca.org
>
>www.amputee-coalition.org
>
>They may have had aca.org in the past; but it's now owned by the
>American Correctional Association.
>
>> They have a wealth of info and links for all
>> type of disability. Similar circumstances..limited use of hand...They
>> helped me a lot with pointing me in the right direction for info
>> after my amputation. Lots of good active message boards to try for
>> info too
>>
>>
Thanks guys, I'll check it out.

Regards,


--
Steve ( out in the sticks )
Email: anyoldname(*AT*)gmx(*dot*)co(*dot*)uk

On 14 Sep 2005 18:37:17 -0700, "Kittie Spit" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Steve,
>
>I sympathize with your situation, believe me. Just a suggestion: have
>you investigated sound/audio apps that will allow him to control his
>PC, type whatever, or even record audio messages to send, etc.? You'd
>need, of course, a microphone, sound card, cables, etc. I found this
>sort of setup to be a real lifesaver a few years ago when I installed
>same on a friend's PC.

The problem for him is that his speech is seriously impaired - so
voice control isn't going to be an option for him.
The reverse might be useful though...a text to speech engine.
>
>Hope you get some good advice here & some recommendations.
>Please, report back here on what you uncover.

Thanks, I'll follow up if I find anything that works really well for
him.

Regards,


--
Steve ( out in the sticks )
Email: anyoldname(*AT*)gmx(*dot*)co(*dot*)uk

Steve H wrote:
> On 15 Sep 2005 00:35:49 GMT, "Dan Goodman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>Dave wrote:
>>>Steve H wrote:

>>>>My father has suffered a number of strokes in the last few years,
>>>>the last being quite severe - but his recovery is such that his
>>>>physical disabilities are hindering his means and desire to
>>>>communicate effectively.

>>www.amputee-coalition.org

Tony Smith's disabilities web page lists some Freeware apps that may be useful:

http://www.tony-smith.me.uk/disability_software.htm

(For future reference - Tony's site is listed on the ACF Members Sites page.)

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
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