Gifts that can help make daily life easier for those with low or deteriorating vision are appreciated during the holidays.
Top Ten Gifts for the Low Vision Household
1. Jumbo Universal Remote Control TV VCR Cable DVD Satellite
: With the amount of buttons that are on remote controls these days, and the fact that every electronic gadget has its own remote - means multiple remotes and mayhem! This can cripple an individual who has deteriorating or low vision from being able to access the television completely. A large button, oversized, universal remote can remedy this problem and also has the benefit of being harder to misplace.2. The Voice Control Talking Digital Alarm Clock
There are many large display clocks and alarm clocks, but they are of little use when the buttons and actions required to program them are too small or the process to set the clock is complicated and requires good vision. Select a clock with large display, easy to program, voice controls/voice activated and audio output. Additional features include a clock that can speak the time and temperature on command or at a regular interval or serves as a nightlight. 3. Reading books doesn't have to be a thing of the past for folks with low vision. The Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device
is Amazon's popular book reader on a larger scale. It has a much larger reading size (9.7" display) compared to the standard 6" Kindle display. You can also magnify the text size to make any book "large print". In addition the Kindle has text-to-speech capabilities so it can read books, publications, magazines, and even blog subscriptions out loud. 4. A Computer Display screen magnifier
makes images on the computer monitor instantly larger. Also check out large print keyboards such as this Visikey Large Print Keyboard Pc Mac
. 5. With the price of electronics dropping, you can now get large screen plasma and LCD TV's like this 50" Panasonic Plasma TV
for around $1,000 or less! TV's can be wall-mounted so they are space-saving and you can enjoy a "front row seat" view from anywhere in the room. 6. Every year you buy a new calendar but what good is it if the boxes are too small and you cannot see the date. This Jumbo Large Print Low Vision Wall Calendar
is the answer. 7. For the health conscious, a Digital Talking Bathroom Scale
is a nice gift. I learned about this product by accident when visiting a friend for dinner and I stepped on their bathroom scale and announced my weight to the whole house. It wasn't funny at the time, but I made a mental note that this product could be quite useful for those with low vision. 8. For those who like to play games, consider Large Print Scrabble Tiles
, Large Print Playing Cards
, or Large Dice 
.9. For "stocking stuffers" or small gifts, consider getting one of these Large Print Crossword Puzzle Book
or Large Print Sudoku Volume 1
books. 10. I love this Talking Calculator
which also has a built in alarm clock and music on it, it is perfect for home, office or travel. These are just a few ideas for gifts for those family members and friends in your life who may have low vision or deteriorating vision. Over the years I have purchased many of these items for my grandmother who lived on her own for many years before entering an assisted living facility.
