Assistive Devices for People With Diabetes and Vision Loss
It is important for people with diabetes to monitor blood glucose as often as recommended by their physician. There are now large screen and talking blood glucose monitors, easy-to-use test strips, and adaptive syringes, all designed to help people with impaired vision manage their diabetes.
Many of the following products come with written, audio and/or video instructions. However, it is best to work with a diabetes educator or rehabilitation teacher who can provide instruction and guidance in the use of these devices and make sure they are being used correctly.
Large Display Glucose Monitors
Accu-Chek© Advantage
Roche Diagnostics Corporation
9115 Hague Road
P.O. Box 50457
Indianapolis,
Tel 1: (800) 858 - 8072
Tel 2: (317) 521 - 2000
Fax: (317) 521 - 2090
www.accu-chek.com/products/index_purchase.jsp
Ascensia ELITE© or Ascensia ELITE©XL
Bayer
100 Bayer Rd.
Tel: (800) 348 - 8100
www.bayercarediabetes.com
OneTouch© SureStep©
LifeScan, Inc.
Tel: (800) 227 - 8862; (408) 263 - 9789
Fax: (408) 942 - 6070
www.lifescan.com
Talking Glucose Monitors
LifeScan's One Touch© Profile©, OneTouch© Basic© and OneTouch© SureStep© glucose monitors can be connected to a synthetic voice attachment such as the Digi-Voice Deluxe or Mini Digi-Voice for easy-to-follow, clearly spoken testing instructions and results. While these voice attachments can be purchased separately, there are also talking glucose monitors such as the Talking One Touch© Basic© and The Accu-Chek™ Voicemate Talking Blood Glucose System (also available in Spanish) that are sold with a voice attachment included. The following vendors can be contacted to get information about their products.
Independent Living Aids, Inc.
Fax: (516) 937 - 3906
E-mail: can-do@independentliving.com
www.independentliving.com
LS&S
Fax: (847) 498 - 1482
TTY: (866) 317 - 8533
E-mail: info@LSSproducts.com
www.lssproducts.com
Liberty Medical Supply, Inc.
10045 South Federal Highway
Port St.
Tel: (866) 836 - 9935
www.libertymedical.com
Maxi-Aids
Fax: (631) 752 - 0689
TTY: (631) 752 - 0738
www.maxiaids.com
Science Products
Tel: (800) 888 - 7400
Fax: (610) 296 - 0488
Test Strips
Easy-to-use test strips can make glucose monitoring more manageable for people who are visually impaired. Features that can make testing easier: test strips that can be touched so you don't have to worry about how you handle them, strips that require just a tiny blood drop because the test strip draws in the right amount, a curved test strip that fits easily onto your finger. Other test strips feature a large test spot that contrasts with the color of the rest of the strip. Since most glucose monitors use specific test strips, it is important to investigate the accessibility of the test strip for the monitor you intend to purchase.
Insulin Administration Assistive Devices
Accurate measurement of insulin can be achieved with special insulin syringes/devices
Count-a-Dose™ has a slide into which the syringe fits. A click wheel, moved by fingertip, guides the slide backward, filling the syringe in single unit increments from one to 50 units. It can be used for single and mixed doses.
Available at:
Medicool, Inc.
20460 Gramercy Place
Torrence, CA 90501
Tel 1: (800) 433 - 2469;
Tel 2: (310) 782 - 2200
Fax: (310) 782 - 8900
E-mail: questions@medicool.com
www.medicool.com
The Autopen insulin pen is engineered for use with most pre-filled insulin cartridges. The one-step dose selector allows insulin to be delivered at the touch of a button.
Available at:
Owen Mumford Inc.
1755-A West Oak Commons Court
Marietta, GA 30062
Tel: (800) 421 - 6936
Fax: (770) 977 - 2866
Email: info@owenmumfordinc.com
www.owenmumford.com (mail order service in UK only)
Maxi-Aids
42 Executive Boulevard
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Tel: (800) 522 - 6294
Fax: (631) 752 - 0689
TTY: (631) 752 - 0738
www.maxiaids.com
Syringe Support includes calibrated screws with tactile guidelines for drawing up varying doses. It can be used for single or mixed doses.
Available at:
The Eye-Dea Shop
Cleveland
1909 East 101st Street
Tel (216) 791 - 8118 ext. 278
Syringe magnifiers provide magnification of the syringe.
The BD Magni-Guide™ works as both an insulin syringe scale magnifier and a needle guide. The needle guide is helpful for centering the syringe needle when inserting it into an insulin bottle. The magnifier makes reading easier by enlarging the numbers and markings on the syringe to twice their actual size. The guide works best with vials from Lilly.
Available at:
BD
Tel: (888) 232 - 2737; (201) 847 - 6800
Fax: (201) 847 - 4856
www.bddiabetes.com
The TruHand syringe magnification device works with 25 to 100 unit syringes.
Available at:
Whittier Medical Inc.
Fax: (978) 685 - 0049
Syringe Magnifiers are also available at Maxi-Aids and LS&S
Record Keeping Devices
Other assistive products can be helpful in monitoring blood sugar intake such as large print registers for recording blood glucose levels and for keeping food diaries. Maxi-Aids sells an accurate, easy-to-read record keeping system for blood sugar, mealtimes, injections and pills.
Available at:
Independent Living Aids, Inc.
P.O. Box 9022
Fax: (516) 937 - 3906
E-mail: can-do@independentliving.com
www.independentliving.com
LS&S
P.O. Box 673
Fax: (847) 498 - 1482
TTY: (866) 317 - 8533
E-mail: info@LSSproducts.com
www.lssproducts.com
Maxi-Aids
42 Executive Boulevard
Tel: (800) 522 - 6294
Fax: (631) 752 - 0689
TTY: (631) 752 - 0738
www.maxiaids.com