An Innovative Way You Can Help Visually Impaired Older Adults

The Be My Eyes app offers a way for aging parents with impaired vision to access help, reports Forbes . "When the blind or low-vision user requests assistance through the app, Be My Eyes sends a notification to several volunteers," states the app website. The app matches the blind or low-vision user with a healthy volunteer, according to language and timezone. "The first volunteer to answer the request is connected to that specific user and receives live video feed from the rear-facing camera of the user's smartphone," says the site. "The audio connection allows the user and the volunteer to solve the task together." The requester is linked with live video on their phone camera to the first volunteer to take the call who views the video on her phone. As the requester moves the camera around, the volunteer can see where an object was dropped, for example, or the color of an item someone wants to match; the volunteer gives the requester directions for moving the camera. After the volunteer signs up, the information is logged, and when a visually impaired person calls to request help, the organization matches the request with the volunteer.