A Review of BlindShell, Mobile Phone for the Visually Impaired
Assistive technology experts Ricky Enger and Steve Kelley review BlindShell, a mobile phone built for those with visual impairment. They discuss the basic features, how it differs from a traditional smartphone, and how to decide if it's right for you.
Hadley Presents
Blindshell Classic
Presented by Ricky Enger
Ricky Enger: Welcome to Hadley Presents. I'm your host Ricky Enger, inviting you to sit back, relax and enjoy a conversation with the experts.
In this episode we explore the BlindShell Classic, a smartphone alternative for those who are blind or low vision and joining me is Hadley learning expert. Steve Kelley, welcome to the show, Steve.
Steven Kelley: Hey Ricky, how are you?
Ricky Enger: I am great. I'm so glad that you could join me to talk about the BlindShell. This is a really cool device and looking forward to diving into all of the things that it can and can't do. Before we do that, though, for those who aren't familiar with you yet from Get Up and Go and various other discussion groups and even a podcast that you've done on Hadley Presents, tell us a bit about who you are and what you do.
Steven Kelley: Well, Ricky, I'm a learning expert at Hadley and have been doing that for about a year. And prior to that I was a vision rehab therapist working with clients out in the field for a local agency.
Ricky Enger: And in addition to what you do for Hadley, you actually sometimes get lucky enough to receive devices that you can review. So for example, in Access World you have a couple of articles taking a look at some devices and one of those just happens to be the BlindShell.
Steven Kelley: Yeah, I was very fortunate to get a demo of the BlindShell and really had a lot of fun with that.
Ricky Enger: So let's talk about what it is. In the intro, we call this a smartphone alternative, but you know, that could mean just about anything. What are we talking about when we say a smartphone alternative? What is the BlindShell?
Steven Kelley: Well, you know, that's not a bad description. I would also say it's like a hybrid. If people remember what the candy bar phones looked like, half of the phone was the number pad and the other half of the phone was a display. And it was probably about the same size as say one of the older iPhones. I don't know, maybe about a quarter of an inch thick, so it's not real heavy, but I would call it a hybrid because it's got the dialing pad still on it. And not only that, but there's plenty of space between the buttons and they're labeled in white on black and in large print. So for those of us with low vision, it makes it pretty easy to see.
Ricky Enger: And the button spacing is one thing that often does come up. For many, just having a touchscreen is not the thing, either because of neuropathy or it just feels like an awkward user interface. We like to have that tactile feedback. We like to be able to touch the one and know that it's a one because it feels familiar like a keypad. So having buttons facing where you can determine where you are on the phone, what button you're touching, and not try and press one button and instead press three at once because they're so close together. So that's excellent as well as having this nice high contrast interface so that it's very easy to tell what you're touching.
Steven Kelley: You know, it may sound like a minor thing, and particularly to somebody who's younger, but I can just tell you from working with clients who grew up using a phone that had buttons that you could feel it's really, it's a big deal. I mean, people are still looking for that and frankly I don't think it's just older folks who are looking for that. I think a lot of people just do better with a button that they can feel and a keypad where they can position their fingers and know where the numbers are.
Ricky Enger: Exactly. So, this is a phone that can work well for those who are totally blind and those who are low vision. And that would seem to indicate that there are features for both. So I'm assuming that the phone does talk.
Steven Kelley: You know, that was one of the very first things I noticed was that literally out of the box, as soon as you press the power button, which is also the back button, it begins talking to you and to me right there, I mean that, everything about that was accessible. I just thought from that moment forward the phone starts with text to speech, bravo. Whether you're going to use the phone visually or not, it just told me that right out of the box it's accessible and you don't always find that. That was just great.
Ricky Enger: That's true. Oftentimes when you get a phone that is a smartphone or something else that's off the shelf, you're looking at starting the accessibility features by pressing a button or saying something, dictating it and you're able to launch that, but this happens right away. So not only does it talk, but I'm assuming that there are some text features as well that make it usable for someone with low vision. What's available for making the display look comfortable?
Steven Kelley: Yeah, there are quite a few options. If I remember correctly, we have two text options, one of which I really didn't like the name of. It's huge text. It's about the size of a newspaper headline. So what happens is you get a few letters on the app that's describing it. For example, contacts. When you have it set as huge, you're not going to see contacts all on one line. It's going to break and wrap to the second line. But the great thing is, it's nice and large and it is in high contrast on the phone and you've got a couple of color options too. So for me, I just immediately chose white letters on a black background, which was nice and easy to see. But you've probably got more options on this than you would find on any other flip phone in terms of changing background and foreground color and the two text sizes, while there's not a whole lot of variation, both are large and the larger text size is pretty good.
Ricky Enger: And so we've talked about this not being a smartphone and that there are smartphones and this isn't one of them, but we haven't really talked about what differentiates a smartphone from, I guess you would call it a feature phone. If you don't know that terminology, you might think, well, something that isn't a smartphone, all I'm going to be able to do with it is maybe call someone or call emergency services if I needed to, and beyond that, there's really not much else there. But I think that's not an accurate description, right? What can you do with this phone, even though it isn't a smartphone?
Steven Kelley: What it does have is it has apps that have been developed for BlindShell specifically. And the cool thing is really I do think that there's somebody really thinking about usability at BlindShell. As you go through some of these tools, like object tagging, object tagging is just something where you can put a code, there's a sticker of the size of a postage stamp that you can put on something and then you can identify it by recording a label on that. So each time the phone sees the code on, I don't know, say your CDs or maybe something in the freezer, it will read that label back to you. And it's just a really useful tool and it's built right in.
Ricky Enger: And that's something that you're not going to find on a smartphone without downloading the app and perhaps buying the tags to do that. So it is nice that this kind of thing exists on a phone developed specifically for those who are blind or low vision. What about some of the more basic things? Can you text with it? Can you check your email? What kinds of things can you do and are there things that you might have expected to be there that weren't?
Steven Kelley: Let me address the first couple of things. Yeah, you can do pretty much all of the basic things that you might want to do. You can certainly text or message. You've got an app for contacts. You also have an app for emails, which I think is great. One of the really nice features is the dictation on this phone. So for example, if you were doing texting or an email, you could simply press and hold the volume up or volume down buttons. If you do a long press on those, it begins the dictation. Dictation is quite good. There's a notes app as well, so you could use the dictation on the notes app and there was actually, on the main menu, a manual and you could click on the manual and there's the whole user guide is right there in text to speech. And I just thought, wow, that is beautiful. I just love that, so it's like you can right away go in and research all of the stuff that you might want to know about the phone and you don't have to hunt it down on a website.
Ricky Enger: Back to dictation for a moment. Did you find that you used dictation more often as you were playing with this phone and getting familiar with it?
Steven Kelley: Well, I was never particularly good at the old-style texting, so if it was something short, like five or six letters, I would just go ahead and text it in. But if it was anything longer, then I would use the dictation. Good dictation is something that is of interest to me to begin with. So, as soon as I realized that it looked pretty good, I went right to the notes app and was able to dictate several sentences nice and clear and 100% accurate. I'm sure that I could have dictated something that wasn't 100% accurate because that's just the nature of these things. But it was excellent, and it was pretty easy.
Ricky Enger: Let's talk about pricing then because that's always a biggie. Sometimes you find a piece of technology that would really, really benefit you as a blind person or as someone with low vision and then you discover $6,000, what? What are we looking at? And this will be US-centric pricing, although BlindShell is available outside the US as well. But we'll concentrate just for the sake of this discussion on US pricing. What's that like?
Steven Kelley: I think if you buy it from LS&S or AT Guys, it's $349 and, from what I understand, if you buy it from BlindShell is $399. You're looking at mid $300 for the phone. So it's less than a lot of quality smartphones, but more than some of the smart phones that you really shouldn't buy in the first place.
Ricky Enger: And that's a great point because you could walk into your AT&T store, and by the way, this is exclusively AT&T for the moment, right?
Steven Kelley: Yeah, it's the GSM network. So it'd be T-Mobile, AT&T, anybody else who's got the GSM.
Ricky Enger: So, you could walk into one of those stores and say, "I'm signing up for a plan." And they go, "Hey, here's this free Android phone." There isn't anything wrong with Android and everybody likes free, but the thing to keep in mind is that many manufacturers will take what Google has done with Android and they will change that significantly. And so what can happen is that the accessibility features that Android does have don't make it onto those lower end slash free phones that you get with your plan. There are even some flip phones that exist, but they certainly don't talk, and they have few, if any, low vision features. So free is not always good in this case, I think.
Steven Kelley: There was one client in particular, although there had been several clients over the years, but she was this classic case of going into one of the GSM stores and looking for an accessible phone because she had recently lost her vision and so they handed her the low end Android phone. Don't get me wrong, I'd fight for my Samsung Android phone because I really love it. But one of the things that I discovered working with this client was that the TalkBack just didn't work on the phone. It was broken. I actually went and checked with another store, the same model, just to make sure that it wasn't me and the training process was broken, but in fact the TalkBack just did not work. So we really struggled with that and the client just was not able to do something as simple as dialing the phone without using the Google assistant. That was the only way she was able to do it. So in a lot of ways, when I see a phone like this, which is pretty rock solid in terms of the accessibility, at least the time that I used it, I put on my VRT hat and I realize, now this is something that I'm going to be able to teach, that a person's going to be able to use and it's going to work.
Ricky Enger: It's got to be a challenge for people who are either looking for a new phone themselves or people who are the experts in the field and they're being asked, "What phone should I use? Should I get a smart phone? Should I get one of these things like the BlindShell?" Why might someone gravitate toward something like the BlindShell as opposed to an iPhone or an Android phone? Because they both are accessible, but it's a very different user experience.
Steven Kelley: You're so right. And I think you bring up a really good point. Whenever you're doing an assessment with somebody, I think one of the most important things to do is really kind of listen, what are their goals, what do they want to do? And a lot of times people want something that they can just make a phone call while they're out walking. I heard that an awful lot. So in a situation like that, a flip phone that is accessible is perfect and it doesn't need all the features of the BlindShell. But then you have people that want to be able to do something like, "Well, I'd like to check my email and I'd like to do some texting on it." And you I just discovered, for example, that BlindShell had added a YouTube app, which seems to work really, really well. So, when you start hearing that people want some of those other features, that's when you start considering, okay, so maybe the BlindShell would work for them or maybe they should go onto a smartphone.
Ricky Enger: Are there features that immediately come to mind that you don't see on the BlindShell that you would need an actual smartphone to access?
Steven Kelley: The one that comes to my mind right away is either BARD or Bookshare or both of those. There's currently a book reader and a media app that's available, so you could connect the phone to your computer using USB and you could just download a book or an audio book or just a text book, put it on the phone and use the book reader to read it. But those are two that I would love to see. And it really doesn't have a web browser per se. Although adding YouTube and internet radio really, that covers a lot of stuff for people.
Ricky Enger: It absolutely does. The one thing that you probably don't see without a web browser or a specialized app, you're not going to see social media, right? So no Twitter, no Facebook. If you're hoping to keep up with your children or your grandchildren on social media, this is not what you're going to use to do that, right? So you would go to a PC or perhaps a smartphone.
Steven Kelley: Yeah, absolutely. And I think for some people those are going to be deal breakers because they do want Facebook or Twitter. But, let's be honest, how accessible sometimes do you find Facebook and Twitter on a smartphone?
Ricky Enger: It can be a frustrating experience, depending on your level of tech expertise and depending on which program you use to access those things.
Steven Kelley: Yeah, I think for a lot of new users there's a great deal of interest, but I also think sometimes the reality of trying to use those apps, it can be pretty daunting.
Ricky Enger: And I think one thing to keep in mind is that you can have different needs that don't all get met by the same device. So for example, you may wish to browse the web, you may wish to do some online shopping, and those are things that you might find better suited to a computer. Whereas taking the BlindShell with you, you know that you're able to text, you know that you're able to call someone and you could check your email in a pinch and that's really all you care about a phone for. And so it does nicely fit into that niche, I think.
Steven Kelley: Yeah, it does and you just reminded me, too, of one of the apps that's on the phone that's kind of interesting. It's called Localization and what's really cool about it is, one of the apps that I also thought might be missing on this phone would be full blown GPS like you would have with a smartphone. Localization is a GPS app on the BlindShell where when you're outside, it really does not work well inside at all, but when you're outside and you're able to connect to a satellite, you press the button and it will tell you what address is closest to you. And it was pretty accurate. And I thought, you know, for the casual walker, somebody who may not be up to using a GPS on the smartphone, what an ingenious app. I mean, sometimes that's all you need. If you've gotten yourself turned around, right, is to find out this is the address, you know, now I've got an idea of where I'm at.
Ricky Enger: Absolutely. So it's not full-fledged GPS, but it really doesn't need to be.
Steven Kelley: For a lot of people, I don't think it does. But you know, again, if somebody really wants directions street, the street turn by turn walking directions, then this is not going to work for them.
Ricky Enger: As we kind of come to the end here, let's say that someone is interested in getting a BlindShell phone and that's available directly from BlindShell as well as places like AT Guys and LS&S, that's only a part of the puzzle, right? So you would still need to have a phone plan that's not in purchasing the device itself, right?
Steven Kelley: Yeah, that's correct. I mean, you would need to take, for example, I took my demo to, I use T-Mobile for mine, so I took it into them. They got me a SIM card, they added it to my plan and you pay the monthly plan and I think with this too, you're going to need a little bit of data and which I had on my second plan. So those are things that you will definitely need.
Ricky Enger: And that is a question that we may not be able to answer ourselves but may come up. So it's a question that those of you who are listening might want to ask back in say the nineties or so we had a smartphone plan which you had to have data for and then there was a feature phone plan where you had a tiny bit of data but it was treated as kind of a different tier. And so it may be that you're not going to be using a ton of data with this feature phone. And so when you go in, ask your provider about what data plans are available and if this phone is considered a feature phone, can you perhaps pay less per month to get access to talk and messaging. And you know, in the 90s it was 300 megs of data or something like that. And it's probably changed since then. But just see if there are tiers that you don't have to pay for unlimited data that you'll never use.
Steven Kelley: I think you have to be honest with yourself too. I mean, since the phone will connect at 4G, you've got pretty good connectivity with both YouTube, internet, radio, the things where you're going to have some streaming services, right? So if you're really into streaming services and you're not going to be near WiFi, you're going to be out and about a lot of times, you are going to be using a fair amount of data. On the flip side, it connects nicely to WiFi, it's pretty easy. So if you're going to be doing that streaming stuff at home or at school or work where there is a WiFi, then that'll take care of that data usage for you.
Ricky Enger: So, for those who wish to, they can check out the show notes and read your Access article, which goes into greater detail about what's available in the menus and overall description of the phone. And it also covers some of the things that we've touched on here. Do you have any final thoughts, Steve, that we didn't touch on that you feel like we should mention before wrapping up?
Steven Kelley: I was just really impressed with, again, the overall accessibility and sometimes we've had this conversation before too about accessibility. Accessibility can be different than usability. You can have something that's very accessible but really is not usable, meaning it's just clumsy. And so you find both with this phone, which is really something I like and, as I mentioned before, it does seem like a pretty solid phone. The menus were all working, it wasn't quirky and even YouTube, which clearly is going out to the internet and coming back again, worked really, really well on this. And I think it's going to be easy for a relatively new user for some of these features.
Ricky Enger: Thank you so much for spending a little time, Steve, and telling us about this really cool device.
Steven Kelley: Oh, it's been a great pleasure. Thanks, Ricky. I enjoyed talking with you today.
Ricky Enger: Thanks for listening.
Got something to say? Share your thoughts about this episode of Hadley presents or make suggestions for future episodes. We'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at podcast@hadley.edu that's P-O-D-C-A-S-T@hadley.edu or leave us a message at (847) 784-2870. Thanks for listening.
-
Websites
Purchase BlindShell, and other assistive technology
Offers free BlindShell training materials
Monthly magazine from AFB with reviews of blindness-related products
All Episodes
-
Episode 106
Prevent Blindness' patient advocacy program empowers people facing vision impairment. Patients learn how to promote change with their physicians, their families, drug companies, and even policy makers.
-
Episode 105
Ever thought about getting a guide dog? Listen in as we chat with members Jeff Flodin and Ed McDaniel about their experiences with guide dogs and some common misperceptions.
-
Episode 104
The National Library Service has a free talking book program for anyone in the US with vision loss. Tonia Bickford, an advisor from Michigan's talking books program, joins us to discuss how to get the most out of this free service.
-
Episode 103
This week we learn more about visual hallucinations that sometimes accompany vision loss, a condition called Charles Bonnet syndrome.
-
Episode 102
Sometimes vision loss can make us feel less secure. This week we talk about personal safety with Hadley's Chief Program Officer, Ed Haines.
-
Episode 101
For many living with vision loss, watching TV is less enjoyable as they can't see what's happening on the screen very well anymore.
Audio description fills the void by narrating key visual elements. Listen in as Ricky chats with Hadley member and avid audio description user, Judy Davis. -
Episode 100
Listen in to our conversation with Dr. Mondal, a low vision optometrist and professor at the University of Wisconsin. We chat about what to expect from a visit to a low vision specialist and the kind of help they can offer.
-
Episode 99
Have you listened to Hadley's community-generated audio podcast yet? In this episode, Ricky and Marc Arneson, Hadley's Director of Community, share a few stories from Insights & Sound Bites and discuss how to contribute your own story. Insights & Sound Bites | Hadley
-
Episode 98
Listen in as artist Chloe Duplessis explains how a degenerative eye disease changed, and didn't change, her life and love of art. "I thought art required sight. I was wrong."
-
Episode 97
Dr. Judy Box, a Hadley member living with macular degeneration, shares her tips for managing those important conversations with your eye doctor.
-
Episode 96
In this episode, the Hadley team talks all things gifts. Giving them, getting them, what's on their wish lists, and how vision loss may, or may not, impact these activities.
-
Episode 95
Friendships often change when one has vision loss. Whether it's adaptations to the activities you enjoy together, asking for help, or turning that help down … there are conversations to be had. Let's tune in as two Hadley members, Eugenia DeReu and Tara Perry, share their experiences with what's changed for them — and what's stayed the same.
-
Episode 94
Losing some vision can make for shopping challenges. Here are a few mishaps that Hadley members have run into. Have your own to share? Email us at podcast@HadleyHelps.org
-
Episode 93
This week we chat with the chief technology officer from Envision as he shares how their free mobile app or camera-enabled glasses can help those with vision loss. It speaks aloud written information, describes surroundings and objects, and even tells you who's nearby.
-
Episode 92
Lots of questions, concerns, and stereotypes connected to use of the white cane. In this episode, we address several of them from past discussions on the topic.
-
Episode 91
Listen in as Hadley's Director of Community, Marc Arneson, chats with Hadley members Bill Massey and Gregory Peterson about their participation in Hadley's new Peer-to-Peer program.
To learn if getting a peer connection is for you, call us at 1-800-323-4238. -
Episode 90
Listen in as we chat with Ed Haines about getting the most out of our magnifiers.
-
Episode 89
Listen in as we chat with animal lovers Debbie Worman and Sheri Robinson about the joys and challenges of caring for a pet when you have vision loss.
-
Episode 88
Listen in as Hadley member, Wendy Spencer Davis, shares why she decided to learn some braille and how it's helping her in everyday life.
-
Episode 87
Ed McDaniel, a psychologist with low vision, joins us to talk about common emotional triggers people with vision loss face and how to recognize and manage them.
-
Episode 86
Jessica Grogan from the American Diabetes Association joins us to talk about managing your blood sugar with vision loss.
-
Episode 85
Tune into our chat with Sarah Clark, a visually impaired marriage and family therapist, as she offers her unique insight into some common family dynamics that often make adjustment more challenging and how to navigate through them successfully.
-
Episode 84
Join us as we chat with Hadley member, Kris, about her experience living with vision loss in a senior community.
-
Episode 83
Listen in as Hadley staff share their real-life bloopers—times when things didn’t quite go as planned.
-
Episode 82
Join us as we take a dive into the features of the BlindShell cell phone.
-
Episode 81
Listen in as Pastor Scott Himel shares his advice for participating in religious services no matter your level of vision.
-
Episode 80
Join us to learn about how ScripTalk technology translates medication labels into speech and where you can find a participating pharmacy.
-
Episode 79
Join occupational therapist from Duke Eye Center, Fay Tripp, in a conversation about bioptic glasses—what they are and who can benefit from them.
-
Episode 78
Listen in as we chat with birding expert Freya McGregor who shares her tips on how you can enjoy this hobby, no matter your level of vision.
-
Episode 77
Listen in as Hadley's Doug Walker and Ricky Enger chat about how they use GPS in their daily lives. From walking directions to finding items or assisting a driver by navigating a trip, GPS can be a very handy tool.
-
Episode 76
Listen in as we chat with Dave Steele about his life, poetry, and vision loss.
-
Episode 75
Listen in as we discuss some common situations that can make us feel unsafe and share ideas on how to address them. We're joined today by Christy Ray and Ricky Jones of STRIVE4You.Org
-
Episode 74
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for feelings of shame to creep in when we've lost some vision. Join social worker Jeff Flodin and psychologist Ed McDaniel, both visually impaired themselves, as they explore where these feelings come from and how they have worked through these emotions in their own lives.
-
Episode 73
Listen in as Dorrie Rush of OE Magazine shares how she resisted using a white cane for years, the stigma she feared, and the confidence and security she found once it was in her hand.
-
Episode 72
Learn how CVS pharmacy customers throughout the US can access a free service that reads aloud prescription medication information.
-
Episode 70
Join siblings Jack, Cathie, and Paula as they discuss the impact of their mother's vision loss on the family. Hear how they've come together as a team, learned how to find services, and continue to help their mom maintain her confidence and sense of well being.
-
Episode 71
Join us as we chat with author Hannah Fairbairn about the tips and tricks she has learned to take some of the stress out of holiday get-togethers, no matter your vision.
-
Episode 68
We're joined by the creator of The Blind Life YouTube channel, Sam Seavey. Sam shares his personal journey with vision loss and advice he has for people who are newer to vision loss.
-
Episode 67
Whether you like to read for enjoyment or need to check your mail, reading is an essential part of your day. We're sharing tips and tricks for how to continue reading, the best low-tech and high-tech gadgets, and the benefits of learning braille.
-
Episode 69
Chief Innovation Officer Doug Walker chats with us about the launch of Hadley's newest podcast, Insights & Sound Bites. This new podcast will offer short stories shared by listeners. By tapping into the power of our community, we hope to share ideas, discoveries, and moments of inspiration along the journey through vision loss.
-
Episode 66
Jim Hoxie and Joanna Jones join us to discuss their children’s book, "Grandpa's White Cane." Jim shares how vision loss shaped his life and how he and Joanna, a retired teacher, began instructing children about the importance of white cane awareness and the do's and don'ts for helping people with visual impairment.
-
Episode 65
Blogger and social worker Jeff Flodin talks about his personal journey with vision loss and how his passion for helping people led him to blog about his experiences.
-
Episode 64
Hadley has partnered with the National Eye Institute (NEI) to offer a Spanish-language version of our popular cooking workshop series. Devina Fan, director of the National Eye Health Education Program at NEI, joins the podcast to talk more about this new initiative, NEI’s expanding Spanish content, and the importance of connecting Hispanic and Latino communities to important vision resources.
-
Episode 63
A change in your vision may make some parts of your job more challenging. But with a bit of help and some new skills, you may be able to stay in your job. Hadley Chief Program Officer Ed Haines and Learning Expert Steve Kelley join the podcast to talk about our new Working with Vision Loss workshops and to share tips for where to find support and how to ask for what you need.
-
Episode 62
Certified accessible travel advocate Melvin Reynolds joins the podcast to share tips for getting the most out of traveling, no matter your level of vision. Melvin gives advice on what to research ahead of a trip, considerations for traveling with a guide dog, and how a certified accessible travel advocate can help.
-
Episode 61
Karen and Dan Leonetti share how vision loss has changed their relationship and the advice they have for other couples.
-
Episode 60
Rabbi Lenny Sarko joins us to talk about how his vision loss journey led him to create a first-of-its-kind braille Sefer Torah that people around the country can access.
-
Episode 59
Actor and artist Bruce Horak talks about his personal journey with vision loss, how he got interested in painting, and his role in the new television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
-
Episode 58
CEO of Eschenbach Optik of America Ken Bradley joins the podcast to discuss how Eschenbach has adapted through the pandemic to help people with visual impairment access low vision devices remotely. Through their "Telelowvision" program, you can try out magnification devices from the comfort of your home to find what works best for you before you buy.
-
Episode 57
Scottish radio broadcaster and podcaster Steven Scott loves finding and talking about tech stuff. He's especially fond of apps and gadgets that make life easier for him and others with vision loss.
-
Episode 56
NYT Columnist Frank Bruni returns to the podcast to talk about his new book. Frank describes his personal experiences with vision loss and how, with time, his perspective has grown.
-
Episode 55
IT professional and stand-up comedian Todd Blenkhorn talks about his personal journey with vision loss and how his passion for stand-up helped him find and share the humor in daily interactions.
-
Episode 54
In this episode, we're sharing highlights from previous interviews with a glaucoma specialist, retina specialist, and a low vision doctor. Listen in to learn more about common eye conditions, treatments, and what to expect at these specialist appointments.
-
Episode 53
Master Gardener Sue Brasel and Hadley's Chief Program Officer and gardener Ed Haines join us for a chat about gardening, no matter your level of vision or gardening experience. They share tips for how to get started, common challenges, and the many benefits of gardening.
-
Episode 52
We're joined by Carol Mackey, an avid discussion group participant, and co-host Debbie Worman to chat about what Hadley groups are, how to join, and what you can get out of them. With 10 groups on a variety of topics, there's something for everyone. Listen in or chime in – it’s up to you.
-
Episode 51
Bold Blind Beauty blogger Stephanae McCoy joins us for a chat on beauty, style and confidence. Stephanae talks about how vision loss shaped her life, and then shares some of her favorite fashion and beauty tips.
-
Episode 50
Hadley staff share their favorite kitchen gadgets and tips. Whether you're an experienced home chef or a total novice, you're bound to pick up a few ideas that fit your vision needs and make your time in the kitchen more productive (and fun).
-
Episode 49
We sat down with Kim Walker, co-director of research and development at Hadley, and Mark Andrews, one of the Hadley advisors who reviewed our exciting new approach for adults with vision loss to learn braille. From labeling items in your home to identifying buttons on an elevator, braille can be a wonderful tool for everyday use.
-
Episode 48
New York Times Best-Selling Author, Gretchen Rubin, chats about her research on how tapping into different senses can enrich our lives and connect us to each other in surprising ways.
-
Episode 47
Twin sisters Jenelle and Joy join the podcast to share their personal experiences with vision loss and adjusting to it emotionally. While they look identical, their perspectives and journeys differ, highlighting their mission to show that "there is no right way to go blind."
-
Episode 46
Hadley learner Sharon Noseworthy shares tips and tricks for hosting get-togethers of any type or size, no matter your vision. Sharon has always loved the role of hostess and has learned to adjust her approach now that her own vision has declined.
-
Episode 45
We're joined by Teepa Snow, occupational therapist and founder of Positive Approach to Care, to learn more about the challenges of having both vision loss and dementia. Teepa addresses common misconceptions about dementia and shares practical tips for supporting someone with both conditions.
-
Episode 44
We sat down with several Hadley staff members and asked them about their favorite tech tips, apps, and gadgets. Whether you consider yourself a tech expert or novice, the group recommends a variety of high-tech and low-tech options that fit your comfort level and interests.
-
Episode 43
Judge David Tatel has served on the second most powerful court in the country since 1994. He also happens to be blind. Judge Tatel joins us to share his story on building a law career and family while dealing with changing vision, the technology and resources he's found useful, and what made him consider getting a guide dog in recent years.
-
Episode 42
In honor of White Cane Safety Day today, we're joined by Hadley learner Larry Carlson and Orientation and Mobility Specialist Elijah Haines for a conversation about this important tool. Larry shares what made him decide to use a white cane, and Elijah shares tips for what to consider and how to adjust to using a white cane.
-
Episode 41
Supriya Raman, manager of the Disability and Multicultural branches of the TSA, shares tips on traveling among shifting COVID restrictions. Supriya covers what to expect at the airport and what resources are available for people with visual impairment.
-
Episode 40
Photographer Michael Nye chats with us about his latest art exhibit, "My Heart is Not Blind," a collection of photos and audio interviews of people with visual impairment. Through these stories, Michael provides a look into what he calls "our shared humanity and shared fragility," as well as common misunderstandings about blindness.
-
Episode 39
Champion blind golfer Chad NeSmith talks about how vision loss shaped his life, and how he shares his passion for golf with others with vision loss.
-
Episode 38
Doug Walker, Hadley co-director of R&D, and Ed Haines, Hadley Chief Program Officer, chat about the making of Hadley's "Adjusting to Vision Loss" workshop series. The series guides people through the emotional aspects of vision loss. Doug serves as the series' personal storyteller and narrator.
-
Episode 37
In this episode we chat with ophthalmologist Dr. Angela Elam from the University of Michigan. Dr. Elam addresses common questions and concerns, and shares her advice for returning to the eye doctor among shifting COVID restrictions.
-
Episode 36
Dorrie Rush, OE's Chief Content Officer, joins us for a chat about this wonderful online resource chock full of tips for living well with vision loss. You'll find great articles on using tech tools, tips for health and well-being, stories from others living with vision loss, a terrific podcast, and more.
-
Episode 35
Learn about a new service that’s just launched in 2020 called Accessible Pharmacy. Accessible packaging and labeling and personalized customer support all free of charge to the end consumer, and specifically designed for those with vision impairment.
-
Episode 34
Audio Describe the World! That’s the mantra of UniDescription: a free smartphone app that provides audio descriptions and navigation tips for US National Parks and other public places.
-
Episode 33
In this episode, we chat with low vision optometrist Dr. Mark Wilkinson from the University of Iowa. Dr. Wilkinson answers common questions and shares his advice for getting the most out of low vision optometry appointments.
-
Episode 32
Jan and Elgie Dow share how vision loss has changed their relationship and the advice they have for other couples.
-
Episode 31
Join Hadley advisor Eddie Becerra as he shares about losing his sight from diabetic retinopathy, and how he gained a new perspective on life.
-
Episode 30
Classically trained chef Regina Mitchell shares how vision loss shaped her life. Regina worked her way back into the kitchen and is now helping others cook with confidence, no matter their vision.
-
Episode 29
In this episode we sit down with the director of Well Connected, an organization that offers free, call-in groups for adults over 60 on a wide variety of interest areas: games, music, meditation and more.
-
Episode 28
Support groups can be a great way to connect with others who "get it." Listen in as as low vision support group leaders Lynndah Lahey and Judy Davis describe how their groups are run and what their members get out of them.
-
Episode 27
World-renowned artist John Bramblitt describes how vision loss has shaped his painting and his life.
-
Episode 26
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Tim Murray of the American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Murray treats eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. He answers common questions and shares his insights into the future of treatments.
-
Episode 25
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jullia Rosdahl, a glaucoma specialist from the Duke Eye Center, and ask her some of the many questions we’ve heard about glaucoma, its risk factors, and how to treat the disease.
-
Episode 24
Hadley learning expert Jessica Smith shares her experience raising a puppy that may eventually become a guide dog. She covers what she’s learned and things to consider if you’d like to volunteer to help out a guide dog school.
-
Episode 23
October 15 is White Cane Safety Day, a day to recognize this important tool that empowers people with visual impairment to travel safely and independently. It also brings attention to the general public to be mindful of visually impaired neighbors, giving them additional consideration and right-of-way when needed. We sat down with Kellee Sanchez, an orientation and mobility specialist, to talk about the history of White Cane Safety Day, and how a white cane can help those with vision loss.
-
Episode 22
Be My Eyes is a free smartphone app that connects visually impaired users with sighted volunteers for help with visual tasks. We sat down with Will Butler from Be My Eyes to hear how the app started, tips for using it, and exciting new features that provide specialized assistance, including with Hadley.
-
Episode 21
Tracy Simon from Eye2Eye peer support program shares her story of vision loss, how her program works, and the benefits of connecting with and supporting each other.
-
Episode 20
Ophthalmologist Dr. Lori Provencher chats with us about how the coronavirus pandemic has changed doctor's visits. She shares tips for staying safe, questions to ask, and what to expect before, during and after your next office visit.
-
Episode 19
Mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske returns to the podcast to share tips and insights on how to cope with life's challenges, such as vision loss or an illness, building resilience and focusing on self-compassion instead of judgment.
-
Episode 18
Author of "When You Can't Believe Your Eyes," Hannah Fairbairn, chats with us about how to communicate in everyday situations when you can't rely on visual cues. Hear Hannah's own story about losing vision, her practical tips on adjusting to vision loss, and advice she has on regaining confidence in social situations.
-
Episode 17
In this episode, we continue the conversation on living during the COVID-19 pandemic with a visual impairment. Listen in as we share some experiences, tips, and strategies for coping during these difficult times.
-
Episode 16
The COVID-19 crisis has brought a wave of change and uncertainty to our everyday lives. Listen in as we share personal experiences, resources and some helpful tips...all from a blind or low vision perspective.
-
Episode 14
This week we sit down with Dan Roberts, author of "The First Year-Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed" and founder of MDSupport website and support group. Hear Dan's own story about being diagnosed with macular degeneration and what prompted him to reach out to others facing similar circumstances.
-
Episode 13
Listen in as we explore the basics of using hand tools with a visual impairment. Gil Johnson, a visually impaired home repair expert, shares tips on everything from measuring, to leveling to hammering.
-
Episode 11
Elections are right around the corner. So we gathered a panel to talk about options for voting no matter your level of vision. Listen in as we explore everything you need to know, from registering to vote to the many ways you can cast your ballot.
-
Episode 12
Ricky sits down with Android Accessibility Product Manager Brian Kemler to discuss what is available on Android phones for those with visual impairment. From adjusting font size and color, or opting to listen with TalkBack instead, the commitment to making these powerful tools more useful to a wider audience is clear.
-
Episode 1
In this episode, we chat with Gil Johnson, an experienced home repair and woodworking enthusiast about things to consider when undertaking home repair with blindness or low vision.
-
Episode 2
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down to continue a conversation with author and visually impaired world traveler Dr. Wendy David. Together they explore a wide variety of helpful hints covering train, plane, and cruise travel as well as practical information on traveling internationally and navigating hotels.
-
Episode 3
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Joe Strechay, associate producer on the Apple TV+ series SEE. The show takes place in a future where, after a viral apocalypse, all humans are blind. Joe takes us behind the scenes of the show and his work to help build an inclusive set for the cast and crew, including those with low to no vision. From casting to costumes, scripting to scenery, hear how Joe helped create a science fiction world that strives to be authentic to life with vision loss.
-
Episode 4
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down with travel author Dr. Wendy David in this latest episode. In part one of this two-part interview, Debbie and Wendy discuss tips for traveling with confidence as a blind or low vision person, advice on picking destinations, considerations for traveling alone and in a group, and more!
-
Episode 5
Ricky Enger is joined by Hadley's Debbie Worman and mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske in this latest episode. Debbie and Tiffany talk about what mindfulness is and the specific benefits that mindfulness can offer for those living with vision loss. Tiffany then walks listeners through a short mindfulness exercise.
-
Episode 6
In this episode, Ricky Enger speaks with New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who shares the story of his sudden vision loss from NAION. Bruni speaks candidly on his adjustment to the change, maintaining a realistic attitude towards his vision loss, and the failure of medical professionals to provide resources after diagnosis.
-
Episode 7
Listen in as we share practical tips on how to keep your handwriting readable. This resource-packed episode includes many useful techniques and solutions to common handwriting challenges. Hadley Learning Expert Jennifer Ottowitz chats with Sue Dalton, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
-
Episode 8
In this episode, Hadley's Steve Kelley speaks with Kendra Farrow, from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, located at Mississippi State. The episode serves as a guide for those new to vision rehabilitation, including determining who is eligible for services, key differences between the medical and social services models, and how to locate services in each state.
-
Episode 9
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Microsoft's Jeremy Curry, a Senior Program Manager with the Windows Accessibility team. New vision accessibility features are now available in Windows 10 for low vision and screen reader users.
-
Episode 10
In the inaugural episode of Hadley Presents, Ricky Enger and Jonathan Mosen of Aira chat about the ways in which a visual interpreter service, such as Aira, can be used to gain valuable visual information and enhance travel and leisure activities for blind and low vision users.