🚀 go-pugleaf

afreeman@pcug.org.au (Andrew Freeman) wrote:

>I have read of at least one nursing home in ACT with internet
>connection, which is supported by a local ISP, I think.

 Is this a government, privately owned or community sponsored nursing
home ?  It's difficult to judge if this is a service that would be
welcomed by nursing home residents, or patients in hospitals although
given their circumstances I would imagine that contact with friends and
relatives is an important part of life in such institutions.
 
 A simple e-mail type service is perhaps all that's needed.  I have
trouble communicating with my mother now in a nursing home in the United
Kingdom, and phoned and asked the staff if I could utilise their fax
machine to send messages, as my mother has/had trouble hearing me when I
rang via voice.
 
 The arrangement at the moment is that I produce faxes with extra large
fonts, and the staff read the message out, if the text is illegible as
it probably would be.  However my mother's hearing has become better in
recent weeks and I was able to hold a telephone conversation with her on
her birthday.

 She would not be in a position to read small fonts on a screen.  One
wonders if nursing staff could perhaps communicate via the Internet on
behalf of residents, who can neither type nor read computer screens.

>I know that the NSW Branch of the ACS already has strong connections
>with Technical Aid for the Disabled (TAD), in providing computers to
>disabled persons.

 I am aware of this, and note the contributions the ACS has made in this
area.

> I bcc:  your message to John Ridge, NSW Branch
>Chair, who I have found to be extremely proactive on community service
>type initiatives - I suggest you contact him to discuss options. 

 My message was directed to anyone with an interest in this area,
including perhaps AUUG members, or those who mentioned Linux as an
operating system that can be used with older technology, or those
perhaps with an engineering background.  No doubt "voice synthesis"
devices would be useful in this area.
 
 Perhaps the devices needed haven't been invented yet.

                                                           Bob
--
Bob Bain, Sydney, Australia   
bobb@acslink.aone.net.au