When Kathleen Heiler decided she wanted another way to keep in touch with her family and friends and catch up on radio and TV she did what millions of other people around the world have done and reached for an iPad.
While Kathleen may not have been a trailblazer in that regard, the fact that she was in her mid-90s when she first picked up the touchscreen device likely sets her apart from most other iPad users.
“I keep in touch with my family quite often, but I just wanted another way to connect with them and also do some other things I enjoy,” 98 year-old Kathleen said.
Kathleen has been legally blind since her mid-70s as a result of age related macular degeneration, and realised she would need some support to get up to speed with all that an iPad could offer.
The Vision Australia client sought assistance from the not-for-profit agency’s specialist staff and in 2015 – aged 96 and with no computer experience – she joined an Access Technology Seniors Training Group.
“When I was working I always thought I was pretty on the ball with technology, but that was a while ago now and combined with not being able to see very much at all I thought I better get some help,” she said.
“The group was perfect for me. Everybody came in with what they wanted to be able to do and [Access Technology Specialist] Irina was wonderful in helping us all learn what we needed to. Even now if I have a problem I’ll call her and she’ll help me out.”
For Kathleen, learning about the voiceover option and gesture controls the iPad offers was a major step in helping her become familiar with the device and becoming more connected with her family and friends.
“Every time I use it, I’m glad I decided to learn how. The main thing for me is that it helps me to really feel part of my family They often visit me but it’s nice to be able to know that they’re happy and what’s going on in their lives.
“Things like being able to look at their photos or keep up with their birthdays on Facebook or send them an email are what really helps me stay connected with the people I care about and that’s what gives me the most enjoyment.”
While Kathleen cherishes that’s she’s able to keep in touch her loved ones, she’s quickly taken advantage of what else is possible through the device.
“I enjoy listening to Alan Jones and the ABC and being able to download podcasts means I can do that whenever I want. I’ve got an app on there that lets me check the lotto results each week and I’ve just learned how to connect it to my TV which lets me look at photos on a much bigger screen.
“I know I could do my banking on it, but I prefer to go to the bank each week. There’s probably some other things it can do as well, but I’m happy just using it to do the things I enjoy.”
Irina Bruckner, the Vision Australia Access Technology Specialist who first helped Kathleen find her way around the iPad, hopes her story can help encourage others who live with conditions such as macular degeneration to seek support.
“Kathleen’s story is definitely an interesting one, but hopefully it can inspire people who are blind or have low vision that it’s never too late to learn new things,” Irina said.
“Conditions like macular degeneration become more common as people get older, but there’s no reason they should stop people from living the life they choose.
“aBe it an Access Technology Specialist or any of our staff, Vision Australia can offer the support to help people who are blind or have low vision to do whatever they want.”