Disabled and Older People and Digital Systems.

[oggbashan]

I am ancient and disabled. I do not own, and even if I did, could not use a smartphone. I cannot see the screen I can barely hear any calls. I can't read (or send) txt messages.

Yet increasing organisations in the UK expect me to use Apps, and Pay by phone, neither of which I can do. Supermarkets are replacing human cashiers with automated tills that I can't use.

My council has declared several car parks in our district as pay by phone only. I can't use them. I have signed up for car parks operated by ANPR because entering my car registration onto a parking machine is very difficult for me.

There are one and a half million people in the UK who do not own or have access to, a smartphone. There are one million people who have no internet access (and usually no mobile phone coverage either).

There are also people like me who could afford a smartphone, have internet access but can't use Apps while out and about. That breaches UK law but no company or organisation has yet been charged with it. instead, every week more and more switch to mobile phones only.

Do you know anyone who cannot, to has difficulty with smart phones?

 

[ll74]

This is a problem in so many different areas. For example, if a person can't get to a polling place or even their mailbox, how are they supposed to vote without proper assistance?

Most good web developers focus on accessibility as their number one priority in apps, but obviously hardware makes have a long way to go

 

[KeithD]

I am ancient and disabled. I do not own, and even if I did, could not use a smartphone. I cannot see the screen I can barely hear any calls. I can't read (or send) txt messages.

Same here, in the States. Not the visual problem, but I have essential tremors and no smart phone. Increasingly there are activities I'm being denied. I can't visit my university less than a mile from me, because you have to use a smart phone to park in the parking garages and there's no on-street parking available. There are all sorts of things I can't do without a smart phone and I have little capability and no desire to have one. Life would be passing me by if I weren't very well established in a routine not requiring much from the outside world and wealthy enough for people to come to me where I am in most cases.

 

[Wrong Element]

Most good web developers focus on accessibility as their number one priority in apps, but obviously hardware makes have a long way to go

I think Consumer Cellular sells some phones with senior-friendly features like larger buttons, but that's of limited use for someone with a more profound disability.

I didn't get a smartphone until last year, mostly because my very ancient dumbphone was meeting my needs fine. But I too am starting to realize how much of modern life really requires a smartphone. Parking meters have mostly disappeared from this city, replaced by an app (which has likewise eliminated one of life's underrated joys, finding a meter with unexpired time on it).

I suspect the idea is that eventually time takes care of the "how do I work this new device?" problem. I remember when libraries stopped updating their card catalogs in the 1980s and went digital (and then just eliminated the old paper catalogs entirely), and the seniors of the era went berserk. But now you've got people who never used anything but a computerized catalog who are middle aged. It's something no one complains about anymore.

 

[ll74]

I think Consumer Cellular sells some phones with senior-friendly features like larger buttons, but that's of limited use for someone with a more profound disability.

I didn't get a smartphone until last year, mostly because my very ancient dumbphone was meeting my needs fine. But I too am starting to realize how much of modern life really requires a smartphone. Parking meters have mostly disappeared from this city, replaced by an app (which has likewise eliminated one of life's underrated joys, finding a meter with unexpired time on it).

I suspect the idea is that eventually time takes care of the "how do I work this new device?" problem. I remember when libraries stopped updating their card catalogs in the 1980s and went digital (and then just eliminated the old paper catalogs entirely), and the seniors of the era went berserk. But now you've got people who never used anything but a computerized catalog who are middle aged. It's something no one complains about anymore.

My wife rarely uses her PC when shopping or filling out forms anymore.

This is also why Mobile first web development is the leading approach

 

[oggbashan]

I think Consumer Cellular sells some phones with senior-friendly features like larger buttons, but that's of limited use for someone with a more profound disability.

I didn't get a smartphone until last year, mostly because my very ancient dumbphone was meeting my needs fine. But I too am starting to realize how much of modern life really requires a smartphone. Parking meters have mostly disappeared from this city, replaced by an app (which has likewise eliminated one of life's underrated joys, finding a meter with unexpired time on it).

I suspect the idea is that eventually time takes care of the "how do I work this new device?" problem. I remember when libraries stopped updating their card catalogs in the 1980s and went digital (and then just eliminated the old paper catalogs entirely), and the seniors of the era went berserk. But now you've got people who never used anything but a computerized catalog who are middle aged. It's something no one complains about anymore.

I have a senior citizen phone with large buttons and a loud setting.

I still can't use it. I have it in case my car breaks down to call the recovery service. They would prefer me to use their App which will give my location. I can't use an App so I have to be precise in my location which isn't always passed on properly.

I usually hand it to my wife or passenger to use because I have to enter my 16 digit membership number - I can't do that.

The last time I said I was in the railway station car park. The message to the mechanic was 'a car park in the town' - of which there are 17! He phoned me. My wife answered and told him exactly where in the STATION car park. He was there in minutes.

 

[gxnn]

I am ancient and disabled. I do not own, and even if I did, could not use a smartphone. I cannot see the screen I can barely hear any calls. I can't read (or send) txt messages.

Yet increasing organisations in the UK expect me to use Apps, and Pay by phone, neither of which I can do. Supermarkets are replacing human cashiers with automated tills that I can't use.

My council has declared several car parks in our district as pay by phone only. I can't use them. I have signed up for car parks operated by ANPR because entering my car registration onto a parking machine is very difficult for me.

There are one and a half million people in the UK who do not own or have access to, a smartphone. There are one million people who have no internet access (and usually no mobile phone coverage either).

There are also people like me who could afford a smartphone, have internet access but can't use Apps while out and about. That breaches UK law but no company or organisation has yet been charged with it. instead, every week more and more switch to mobile phones only.

Do you know anyone who cannot, to has difficulty with smart phones?

I am very sorry to hear that, it is so sad but true not only in the UK but also in China. Perhaps only in Africa do they have no such problems.
Under the current strict pandemic control rule, people in China must have their codes of health and travel track ready constantly for checking by authorized persons, but old people are in great trouble as they are mostly unable to use smartphone in which the codes are stored and those checking person will become very impatient and rude if these old people try the alternative-fill in the form by hand. Even street vendors ask for payment from smartphone and they would not accept paper cash because they have difficulty making changes or identifying good or bad money when paid in a 100-yuan note.

 

[LukSkyFokker]

My 80-year-old mother texts with emojis and banks online. She also navigates DirecTV and DVR. And lives alone.

 

[jaF0]

If a person can't see a phone screen, how can they drive a car?

 

[Biggs_Darklighter]

If a person can't see a phone screen, how can they drive a car?

I've seen it in person and its scary as fuck. Everyone is afraid to offend old fucks but fuck that.

 

[Biggs_Darklighter]

If you can't keep up with society then its time to Logans Run ya. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Sh1ne0n67]

I feel you Ogg.

I used to program the damned things (and I am much younger than you)
but now I can barely use them and keep up with the technology.
Hell, my OS wants me to upgrade it again. WHY???
This one works just fine...

It's time to die.

 

[Sh1ne0n67]

I've seen it in person and its scary as fuck. Everyone is afraid to offend old fucks but fuck that.

They vote in higher volume and frequency than do the "Utes" of society.


__________________________________________
Democrat born. Democrat bred. Libertarian led (by Democrats).

 

[LukSkyFokker]

It's time to die.

We've been saying that about you for decades, AJ.

 

[oggbashan]

If a person can't see a phone screen, how can they drive a car?

I wear distance glasses for driving a car. I can see clearly for miles, 40 miles at best, but I can't focus close enough to see a mobile screen.

I can see the speedometer and dials clearly enough to know what if anything is wrong but they are designed for visibility - a mobile screen isn't.

My eyes are checked at least annually. My last test was in April. With glasses I can read 6 point print, I can see to drive and have been passed by the DVLA - The Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority as fit to drive.

I didn't expect much sympathy from the younger PB users but it is a significant problem. Over 1 million people in the UK do not own and/or could not use a smart mobile. Between 1.5 and 2 million do not have access to a mobile network or broadband.

 

[JohnEngelman]

I get along fine without a smart phone. I usually keep the ringer off on my lan phone, because I get a lot of robo calls. Anyone I want to talk to will leave a message and a telephone number. I do not do financial transactions over the internet. I pay for stuff with paper checks. I have an ATM card to get money from my bank account. I did not have a credit card until two years ago. When I go to a store I pay for stuff with cash.

 

[oggbashan]

ATM cards? In the UK an Atm can ask for a pin and can also refuse to pay out until you have answered a text message correctly. I can't recieve nor answer a text message so I abort and use another card.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I am very sorry to hear that, it is so sad but true not only in the UK but also in China. Perhaps only in Africa do they have no such problems.
Under the current strict pandemic control rule, people in China must have their codes of health and travel track ready constantly for checking by authorized persons, but old people are in great trouble as they are mostly unable to use smartphone in which the codes are stored and those checking person will become very impatient and rude if these old people try the alternative-fill in the form by hand. Even street vendors ask for payment from smartphone and they would not accept paper cash because they have difficulty making changes or identifying good or bad money when paid in a 100-yuan note.

Came to post something similar. I'm currently in a lockdown city and a few months ago managed to crack the screen of my phone. I had to replace it essentially the same day as life is practically impossible at the moment without it. I'm also concerned that the rise of Smartphones and Apps as the second (or third/fourth whatever) stage in the development of the Internet is moving ever-towards platforms which are owned by a single company. Email can be implemented by anyone on any device because its an open standard, WeChat is owned by Tencent and if you want to be part of a conversation in Chine you need to use Tencent's software - similarly with the payment apps which are not standardized and direct to your chosen back but through either AliBaba or Tencent (again). The same thing is increasingly happening in the West with platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I am ancient and disabled. I do not own, and even if I did, could not use a smartphone. I cannot see the screen I can barely hear any calls. I can't read (or send) txt messages.

While you shouldn't have to in an ideal world, can you buy an android tablet of sufficient size and use this as an alternative?

 

[oggbashan]

While you shouldn't have to in an ideal world, can you buy an android tablet of sufficient size and use this as an alternative?

I have tried my daughter's android. I have problems with that too. Apart from vision and hearing problems I have finger difficulty (and to make it worse I produce a lot of static electricity). If I try to use my fingers on a screen it goes haywire even if I could touch a single app correctly.

I cannot use touch screen technology anywhere. Many of my council's car parks need you to enter your car registration number to pay. I cannot enter four letters and three digits. I have to wait until someone else wants to enter their details and ask then to do it for me - but I have signed up for ANPR recognition so now I can just drive out and get my credit card debited automatically.

But they have changed some of their car parks for pay by phone only. I cannot use them at all and I am lodging a formal complaint (along with over 1,000 other locals so far) that we are being discriminated against.

PS: Even on an enlarged screen on my desktop I made over 12 (oops! Now 14 - wrong 18 and counting) errors typing this.

 

[Big4Wheeler]

I have no problem using a cell phone in fact it is my door to the outside world. But many every day digitalisations make my life more difficult. I am in a lying position in my wheelchair and often can not reach atm, paying machines, self scan checkouts. The regular checkout aisle is often too narrow, as well as turning doors.
In our local hospital I now have to register myself on a machine at the entrance because the counters are shut down. I can reach the machines but I have to place my wheelchair sideways to it, leading me to block the entrance for a while, which leads to irritation.

Modern technology can make life easier for for disabled people but just like a ramp on a doorstep, little adjustments would make big difference.

 

[oggbashan]

I have no problem using a cell phone in fact it is my door to the outside world. But many every day digitalisations make my life more difficult. I am in a lying position in my wheelchair and often can not reach atm, paying machines, self scan checkouts. The regular checkout aisle is often too narrow, as well as turning doors.
In our local hospital I now have to register myself on a machine at the entrance because the counters are shut down. I can reach the machines but I have to place my wheelchair sideways to it, leading me to block the entrance for a while, which leads to irritation.

Modern technology can make life easier for for disabled people but just like a ramp on a doorstep, little adjustments would make big difference.

In the UK, making life more difficult for disabled people is ILLEGAL.

But major corporations do not seem to care unless they have formal complaints - which I am doing daily with the help of my Member of Parliament who has even spoken about it (as a result of my letters) in the House of Commons.


There were articles in The Times and The Sun newspaper yesterday highlighting the problems (and a long opinion piece in The Times).

The issue is gaining momentum but slowly. The responsibility has been put by parliament on the service providers but they prefer to address the majority, leaving minorities in the cold.

 

[Sh1ne0n67]

I have tried my daughter's android. I have problems with that too. Apart from vision and hearing problems I have finger difficulty (and to make it worse I produce a lot of static electricity). If I try to use my fingers on a screen it goes haywire even if I could touch a single app correctly.

I cannot use touch screen technology anywhere. Many of my council's car parks need you to enter your car registration number to pay. I cannot enter four letters and three digits. I have to wait until someone else wants to enter their details and ask then to do it for me - but I have signed up for ANPR recognition so now I can just drive out and get my credit card debited automatically.

But they have changed some of their car parks for pay by phone only. I cannot use them at all and I am lodging a formal complaint (along with over 1,000 other locals so far) that we are being discriminated against.

PS: Even on an enlarged screen on my desktop I made over 12 (oops! Now 14 - wrong 18 and counting) errors typing this.

Tip: I got a stylus to type on my phone's keypad because I have huge hands.
__________________________________________
Democrat born. Democrat bred. Libertarian led (by Democrats).

 

[oggbashan]

Tip: I got a stylus to type on my phone's keypad because I have huge hands.
__________________________________________
Democrat born. Democrat bred. Libertarian led (by Democrats).

Might work if I could see what I had typed. I can't read any response.

 

[Sh1ne0n67]

What a drag it is getting old.

I suspect that I need my eyes checked again. These glasses no longer seem strong enough.

 

[oggbashan]

What a drag it is getting old.

I suspect that I need my eyes checked again. These glasses no longer seem strong enough.

I had my eyes checked last month and I have three new pairs of glasses. I can read a small print book, but not a mobile. It might be the contrast or the flickering screen. I can see my e-reader when I zoom to its maximum but not for long enough to finish a longer Lit story.