[REQUEST] Senior with dexterity issues

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

I have a senior citizen computer tutoring client who had a stroke and experiences dexterity issues attempting to use a mouse. The primary problems are resting his fingers on the mouse buttons and moving the mouse to the correct position on the screen. He then moves the mouse as he clicks.

I disabled the touchpad because he was resting his hand on it. I've considered a couple of options.

A trackball which may not solve the problem due to the placement of the buttons. He might still rest his hand on them

A usb touchpad since he wouldn't have to move it.

Any thoughts?

Rick

 

[mattsnoddy]

There's several mouse alternatives out there, particularly for those with a disability. I've not worked directly with any of these, but there are options like joystick mice as well as trackballs specifically for those with problems with precision movement. This site may give some ideas of what to look for:

Mouse Alternatives for Disabled Users - Assistive Technology

Mouse Alternatives Are Devices Specifically Designed To Address The Needs Of Computer Users With Special Needs

www.pretorianuk.com

 

[backwoodsman]

Strokes usually affect one side of the body. If it affected his strong side, would he have better dexterity learning to use the mouse with the other hand?

I had a client who was a quadriplegic due to an accident. He still had enough movement in his hands that he could use a touchpad, with practice and a lot of patience.

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Strokes usually affect one side of the body. If it affected his strong side, would he have better dexterity learning to use the mouse with the other hand?

I had a client who was a quadriplegic due to an accident. He still had enough movement in his hands that he could use a touchpad, with practice and a lot of patience.

That's why I'm considering the USB touchpad. It would be out of the way of his hands until he was ready to use it.

Rick

 

[Markverhyden]

Don't dismiss track balls so quickly. There's many different options out there. Over the years I've had a few customer with dexterity issues, including my Dad, and a track ball helped several.

 

[Larry Sabo]

One of my custpmers was a quadriplegic and used a headband with a laser pointer to select characters to be entered from an on-screen keyboard. Pausing the beam point over a character caused it to be entered. He used to use the web, dictate into Dragon Naturally Speaking, and use a telephone connected through the control module. A little overboard for your customer perhaps but worth looking into.

 

[phaZed]

I wonder if something like a "PC Touchscreen" would work, especially one that has an "easel mode" or if the same issues with dexterity would come into play. Being an easel-type could perhaps offer the opportunity to rest his harms and hands on the sides of the panel and steady himself. Being touchscreen could alleviate some of his reliance on "clicking" and moving specific digits.
Link


..and what ever happened to those MS Surface "Canvas" monitors with the wheel and the pen?



You could also consider a "portable monitor touchscreen" or "artist tablet with screen".

 

[Diggs]

I wonder if something like a "PC Touchscreen" would work

I've got a customer that struggles with a mouse. He does remarkably well with a large 17" touch screen laptop.

 

[britechguy]

Thinking outside the box, based on the original post, what about "dual mice"?

I have some blind clients use what I call a "treated" mouse, where the optical tracker on the underside is taped over with either opaque tape or a small piece of paper that "blinds" it. That mouse can be used for left and right click without danger of moving the pointer, which is a huge deal if you want to have access to true left and right click buttons and are a screen reader user. It creates a click-only mouse.

A second, normal mouse would be used strictly to get the pointer where it's wanted if his dexterity allows him to do that, and it sounds like it does. This would serve as the pointer movement only mouse.

I can also think of some creative ways of using a screen reader, with the reading silenced, and with visual tracking of the thing that has focus turned on (which I use constantly, as it's very easy to "become lost" with the traversal order from a screen reader at times) to allow him to gain focus on various things and activate them without ever having to touch a mouse at all.