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Science frees elderly, disabled
Author: Wendy Phillips, STAFF WRITER
Date: August 31, 2002
Publication: Daily Review, The (Hayward, CA)

HAYWARD -- Technology is giving the canine a run for its money as man's best friend.
For people who have lost their independence because of aging or disabilities, assistive technology can help them get it back, said Elizabeth Pazdral, executive director of Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL), a Hayward-based independent living center.
CRIL will hold a talk about how technology can help seniors on Sept. 18, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior Center, 17800 Redwood Road, Castro Valley. The Seminar is free.
Assistive technology is any device that helps a person to be more independent at home and in the workplace, Pazdral said.
“A lot of times seniors hear the word ‘technology’ and they automatically think that means computers, and they get intimidated,” said Pazdral.
But actually, it can be as simple as a shirt that closes with Velcro rather than hard-to-manage buttons, or a jar-opener. Other examples include talking watches, enlarged computer keyboards and wheelchair ramps.
Parents and grandparents with disabilities might benefit from a more accessible changing table or a walker with an attached baby seat.
Assistive technology can also take the form of common sense changes in the home.
“We taught one disabled mother how to restrict her work and play session to a smaller area to conserve her energy,” Pazdral said, recalling a recent home visit.
For Bernadine Love, 60, of Hayward, a few modifications to her kitchen and bathroom made a big difference.
Wracked with arthritis, Love was unable to reach food and cooking items in her kitchen cabinets.
“A lot of times I didn’t cook like I should,” she recalled.
CRIL visited her home and suggested sliding cabinets that would allow her easy access to food. They also recommended a bench for her shower and a grab-bar next to the toilet.
CRIL does not provide the technology directly but helps obtain grants from federal and state agencies.
The agency might also make people aware of the rights they didn’t know they had. For example, Pazdral said, everyone who needs it is eligible for one piece of phone equipment from the state, such as a speaker phone or a cordless phone.
“Its simple things like these that can change lives,” she said.

Courtesy of Connie Rux, editor of The Daily Review