My grandmother was a voracious reader. I don’t remember her without a dog eared paperback in her hand, be it a juicy Harlequin Romance or a murder mystery. She passed the “Bookworm Gene” down to my mother and my mother passed it on to me. My grandmother stopped reading about 15 years ago when her vision began deteriorating and she could no longer comfortably hold a book due to arthritis in her hands. I remember how saddened I was that she no longer had the pleasure of escaping into a good book.
Today, people of all ages in my grandmother’s situation do not have to give up what they love because they have arthritis in their hands or their eyesight isn’t as keen as it once was. Enter the age of the e-reader.
What is an e-reader?
Simply put, an e-reader is a device for reading content. You’ve heard of them – Barnes and Noble’s Nook, Amazon’s Kindle, Sony’s Reader, even Apple’s high-end iPad. E-readers are lightweight and easy to hold, making them an arthritis-friendly option to heavy books. There is also a wide variety of stands and straps for e-readers available for those times when you don’t want to or can’t hold it. Or you can prop the e-reader up against something sturdy. In addition, most have adjustable font size for people with vision problems. Have you ever tried to hold a large print book? Talk about heavy! Another feature that makes e-readers so attractive is that you can download content from the comfort of your own home or anywhere else for that matter.
How do you choose the right e-reader for you?
The best way is to go to the store and start playing with the various models until you find what fits your needs best. If you can’t easily do that, make a list of things that make reading a regular book hard for you and research what models could potentially eliminate those problems, such as: is it light enough to hold; how long is the battery life; can I get a font size I can read; can I turn the pages easily myself. Some libraries even loan out e-readers so you can try one to read an entire book to determine which features are most important to you. Another option may be to borrow one from a family member or friend.
Be sure to pay attention to the internet connection needed for the e-reader you choose. If you do not have wireless internet at your home or the place where you will be reading the most, you should consider an e-reader that has 3G connectivity. Most models include this at no additional cost but it’s best to know before purchasing.
Touch Screen vs. Buttons
At first glance, you would think a touch screen would be a better alternative for arthritis sufferers, but that may not be the case. You need fine motor control to manipulate a touch screen and even with a stylus this may prove difficult. For others, it will be the perfect fit. Some people prefer models that have buttons you push. The buttons are easy to control and provide tactile feedback. However, pushing buttons over and over to ‘turn the page’ as you read could cause pain.
So much more than books
You can get books, magazines, newspapers and more on your e-reader and you don’t have to break the bank! There are many online libraries and other sites that offer free books. Even if you do buy an e-book, the cost is considerably less than buying a printed book. Some e-readers, such as the Kindle Fire, have additional functionality so you can watch movies and television shows, as well as play games, download apps and surf the internet.
Like mother, like daughter
My mother now feels the effects of arthritis in her hands and about a year ago she decided to give an e-reader a try. She was resistant at first but slowly warmed up to her e-reader as she realized how much easier it made her life. She can adjust the font for better viewing, her hands don’t hurt while she reads and she has free access to e-books via her local library. But most importantly, she doesn’t have to give up something she enjoys. There are usually alternatives that will allow you to continue living your life the way you wish. You just have to find the ones that work for you.
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