Appliances are a challenge

There used to be a time when I as a blind person was able to navigate the buttons on the panels of my appliances without having to ask for sighted assistance. Buttons and knobs on washers and dryers were big enough for me to feel and touch, you could set levels of water and temperatures by counting off the clicks, and you could do other things by simply memorizing how many clicks to the left or right, etc.

A few months ago, I had to replace my washer and dryer and thank goodness I was able to find a small appliance store that sold washers and dryers with manageable buttons. Many of the appliances today are dominated by touch screens and digital displays and this makes life more difficult for someone who is unable to see. Some appliances even have lights to indicate certain things and this too is not very good for a blind person.

In the good old days, I only had to ask for sighted assistance once when I was learning the position of the buttons but all this has changed. I know, we are now in the digital age and that can't be helped but how I wish that someone can come along and develop a gadget for blind persons to use with digital displays and touch screens. Thank goodness I have a talking microwave but my toaster oven is a challenge for me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and help educate the rest of the world about the challenges that blind persons face when it comes to appliances with digital displays and touch screens. Visit www.maxiaids.com to learn more.
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