Adapting A Thermostat 

Fall 1998 
This article by Nick Baker was reprinted with permission from the MonTech News.

Thermostats are normally mounted five feet above the floor. At that height, they're difficult to reach if you use a wheelchair or can't raise your head that high. The small numbers on the thermostat are often hard to read too, especially from across the room.

Here's an easy fix for both problems if you have a round, dial-type thermostat:

 Materials 

• One dowel rod approximately 18 inches long
• Glue that will stick to both plastic and wood. (Duco)
• Adhesive tape
• Magic Marker or small house numbers (optional)

 Directions 

1. Set the thermostat to a temperature is normally comfortable.
2. Put glue at the 12 o'clock and six o'clock positions on the thermostat.
3. Place the dowel on the glue so the top of the dowel is at the 12 o'clock position.
4. Tape into place as shown in the diagram.
5. When the glue dries, remove the tape.

Now you can tell at a glance where the thermostat is set. You can even put

numbers on the wall to correspond to the numbers on the dial and by moving the easily reached dowel, you can conveniently adjust the temperature.

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Simple Communication Device

Spring 1998
Ed note: The Sounds by Me Storybook mentioned in this article is no longer available in stores. Call 800-236-7123 to purchase them " $24.95 ea or $20.00 for two. This information came too late for us to change the article.)

Thanks to Patrick Meckley, Director of the Assistive Technology Center at the Fox Developmental Center for this month's Ten Dollar Tech article. Pat frequently shares his treasures with TECHTALK readers.  

The Sounds by Me Storybook contains a 4x11 inch talking device that can be taken off the book and used as a communication device. It has six buttons to record and play back messages, each about one second in length. That's not a lot of time, but enough to get one or two words programmed. 

This device can be used in a variety of settings . . . Schools, McDonalds, just about anywhere. It can even be used on a short term basis when someone cannot speak temporarily.

For instance, if a person is in intensive care, alert but cannot speak, this device could help him/her communicate with caregivers and family. It wouldn't interfere with his/her care at all... it may even enhance it by carefully programming descriptive words in the device. By spending pocket change, using a spot of glue and a washer, your loved-one can tell you what hurts and ask for what (s)he needs. Even minimal communication like that can avoid a lot of frustration and confusion.

 Materials 

• Sounds By Me Storybook, published by Western Publishing Company, Inc. wherever you find Golden Books. 
• Glue
• 1/4" flat washers
• Pencil or pen or paperclip

 Directions 

1. To modify the device, carefully glue a 1/4" flat washer over the record button. This will prevent erasing the message accidentally. 
2. Then, using a pencil or pen, or end of a paper clip, you can reach past the washer, depress the record switch and record and rerecord any message the person may want or need.

It shuts off automatically to conserve battery power and uses inexpensive AAA batteries. Pat's excitement about this new discovery is contagious. He states, "it is truly affordable at only five dollars!"

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File Cabinet Adaptations

Summer 1998
by Jeff Symons, Rehabilitation Engineer, Project Threshold

People with limited motor functions have difficulty not only accessing file cabinets but also pulling files from the cabinets and replacing them. This can be a difficult task for persons with poor grip strength. Sometimes it is easier for a person in a wheelchair to access a lateral file cabinet than the standard file cabinets because they can position themselves next to the file and not have to reach as far. This article presents a simple method to help pull files from a lateral cabinet.

In order to pull files, especially large ones from the cabinet, I tried attaching some "handles" to the hanging folder files. This has worked well for several of my clients. 

 Materials 

• 7-8" cable ties, available from Radio Shack. 

 Directions 

1. Thread cable ties through the center tab slots of the hanging file folder.
2. Create a loop by attaching the two ends of the cable tie as shown in  This is done on each side of the hanging folder.
3. Adjust the loop by pulling on the cable tie.

The person can place their hand through the front and back loop of the file they need and pull the file out.

Sometimes very large files have to be split into two separate files. The handles tend to lean to one side or the other and the person must be able to reach both handles in order to retrieve a file.

I have used "handles" for person with quadriplegia who had the strength to lift the folders with their arm but not the grip strength to hold the folders. It was also successful for people with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, who had difficulty in grasping files.

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Making your own EZ to Turn Books

Summer 1998
This idea comes from JoAnn Bayer of Springfield, Illinois. She's an avid reader and needed to find a way to continue reading independently. Here's her story.

Following decompression surgery on my spinal cord, I could no longer easily turn pages in my beloved books. A good friend gave me this idea that I use on either soft or hard bound books.

For $.50 a printer will cut the binding off any book and tie it up with string. After getting the books back I went to an office supply store and bought comb binders. I selected binders that were thicker than the books to ensure that I can easily and safely turn the pages.

Next, along with a friend, we went to the IATP office to use their comb binding and re-bound each book. To use a comb binder first, cut rectangular holes along the pages to receive the binder. This is done with a special machine. The machine also has a mechanism that opens the binder so you can fit the holes in the pages onto the combs.

Many social service agencies have these machines and may let you use them to rebind your books. If you do not have access to such a machine, Kinko's will rebind a 150 page book for about $2.00

It's a simple and easy process. About the only mistake you can make is punching the holes in the wrong side of the page, so think about what you're doing before you make those first few holes.

I have been telling OTs and PTs about this method so more people with hand or manual dexterity problems, incomplete quads, those with CP or who have had a stroke can enjoy with more freedom, the joy of reading.

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