Computer help: Communication for the Voiceless

Communication for the Voiceless

Due to heart/lung problems, I now live in a nursing home. I was on a ventilator for a while, so my only method of communication was by writing on a tablet. For you young folks, it was paper, not a PC, which brings up the problem.

There are many in here who are on long term ventilators, as well as those who have lost their voices due to throat cancer. Like me, they have to communicate by writing on a tablet, but that can be problematic. Being a professional driver, I spent more time with my hand wrapped around a steering wheel than a pen. My handwriting is terrible, plus sitting in a wheelchair, trying to write on bending tablet can be fun.

What can I recommend to the families of patients in the way of a PDA or small Tablet PC with touch screen, that their parents can be using to communicate with? With a Tablet PC, we can be encouraging them to also be getting on the Internet and not just be stuck doing the usual arts and crafts each day.

Remember, price is important as family members would be paying for it. Our own income is taken by the nursing home and we are given only $62 a month to spend.