Speaking Through a Sprain

Let technology work for you

I have no idea why this showed up on Giphy when I asked for images about voice commands. But why not use it?

I recently sprained my left wrist. It was a bad sprain, too. The good news is that it wasn't broken and that I'm right handed. The problem is that I write for a living and I have deadlines and things to do. Typing with one hand out of commission is really hard. Can do now

Then I remembered that my computer operating system has several accessibility features including voice-activated operation. I have been learning how to write with voice commands, and in fact that's how I wrote this issue of the newsletter.

I'm also realizing how much I talked to myself as I work. I knew I did this but it becomes stark when you see how much the microphone catches stuff and doesn't know what to do with it because I'm not working in a text box.

It's an absolute miracle really how much people can do now. There are so many resources for people with permanent and temporary disabilities, like shoes that you can step into or athleisure pants that are have elastic waists but don't look super frumpy, or the ability to easily change text size on an eReader. Closed captions on the TV are great if you're learning another language or if you are having trouble hearing. On a recent flight I found out how useful they are when the battery on my ear buds died. I could finish watching my movie without any drama.

And things will get better. Adaptive sports programs like the Invictus Games and the Paralympic Games create new technologies that will filter down. When my kid played hockey, a sled hockey league took the ice after his age group played. The sled hockey game is incredible to watch, and having two working legs is not an advantage. In fact, not all players were disabled. After all, they have to field enough players to have a competitive league. And they were competitive. Several of the players we watched won gold for the US in the 2010 Winter Paralympics.

Research shows that building new skills after an injury (Chicago Booth Review) can help people stay in the workforce longer, and it greatly improves their mood. It also improves their family relationships.

For all this progress, there's still a problem with people refusing to acknowledge that they have a disability. Many disabilities emerge with age. In our culture we have stigmas against both age and disability, and both were worse years ago. Now we have old and disabled people who prefer to insist that they are young and healthy (University of Michigan) rather than deal with reality. Given that accommodations are available in healthcare settings and in public spaces, denying reality can make life harder than it has to be. Assisted living facilities would rather advertise with pictures of residents skydiving then showing residents playing sled hockey, and let’s face it: neither is plausible at a certain point. (Paralympic athletes are athletes, first and foremost.)

By this time next week my wrist should be fine, so I'm not exactly an expert on disabilities. If you find yourself with a short-term disability, do a little Googling and see what kind of fixes you can make that will make your life a little easier. If you find yourself with a longer term disability, talk to your doctor about occupational therapy. Occupational therapists do nearly miraculous things these days.

If you're dealing with an elderly relative, see if you can work some of the known adaptations into their lives. They may fight it, as they may remember when disability was something shameful and disabled people were hidden from polite society. That was wrong, and there's no reason to continue that practice.

What do you think? What adaptations have you found that work? Please share in the comments.