Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology Regina Drop-In Meeting Summary Notes, Accessible Shopping & Banking, April 28, 2018

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), GTT-TechEase Regina, Peer Mentoring 7 Minutes

Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology

Regina Drop-In Meeting

Summary Notes

April 28, 2018

 

Sponsored by Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN),

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

And the

Regina Public Library

 

Assistive Technology Peer Support by and for people who are blind/low vision

 

In attendance: 11 Participants. Amber, Doug, Michelle, Kari (RPL), Camille, Wes, Donna, Lori, Anna, Barry, Jerome

 

Today’s topic: Accessible Shopping & Banking

 

 

Accessible Shopping:

We discussed pros & cons of online shopping in general

Pros: Fast, convenient, don’t have to go out and get help, don’t have to navigate new spaces or remember familiar ones, sometimes there are deals online that aren’t in the store, don’t have to haul things home from store or get a cab

 

Cons: Can’t see online pictures and descriptions aren’t always great, can’t try on clothes to make sure they fit, can’t feel fabrics, many only take credit cards, aren’t exactly sure what you’ll get

 

We discussed examples of online vendors that people in the room have used, the following is notes on each online vendor we discussed, I have tried to group them by type.

 

Online Only Vendors:

Amazon – $30 and then free shipping on all of their items, they have 3rd party vendors that should be avoided, can only use credit card at this time,  there is a disability support area you can contact if you need help due to accessibility and they are very helpful (https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/accessibility?ie=UTF8&ref_=s9_acss_bw_cg_a11ymcro_md1_w&skip=true or http://www.amazon.ca/access ), they have a great return policy as you can just put box in mail return to sender, they also work with people when there are problems to resolve them, you can call their customer service as well for help: 1-877-586-3230

Amazon.ca: Online shopping in Canada – books, electronics, Kindle, home & garden, DVDs, tools, music, health & beauty, watches, baby, sporting goods & more

www.amazon.ca

Amazon.ca: Online shopping in Canada – books, electronics, Kindle, home & garden, DVDs, tools, music, health & beauty, watches, baby, sporting goods & more. Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime.

 

 

Zulily – Mostly clothes, sizes tend to run small, great deals, good return policy, takes a long time to arrive as they come from Asian countries primarily

 

Facebook Ads that lead to vendors – Hit or miss, many aren’t checked, a few of us have never received products from these and been ripped off the money

 

Stores that have online options:

Chapters – They will deliver to your house or the store, if you choose the store and there is any problem with it they can return your money in store. If you go to the store to purchase something and they don’t have it they will assist you to order it in via the webstore, can use credit card or paypal

 

Toys R Us – They have a lot more options online, they will deliver to the house and you can return in store or by mailing back if there is any problem, there are often deals online they don’t have in store and better prices

 

Wal-Mart – Can deliver to you or to the store, they can return in store if there is a problem with anything, more selection online, online does tell you if the item is available locally but it is not always accurate

 

Costco – Good for a variety of products, you can return in store, they ship right to your house or the store, some good deals online, saves having to deal with crowds in store, you still need a Costco membership to shop online

 

Best Buy – The accessibility of the site is not great, the mobile version is better than web version, they will help in store with website if they don’t have product in-store you are looking for

 

Quarks – They have more selection and better deals online but it is better to go in to store to try on shoes for sizing before ordering online

 

Online Marketplaces:

eBay – Is wither an auction site or a buy it now site depending on how you have your preferences set, the auction aspect can be addicting, Hit or miss, depends on the vendor, generally good for small cheap products as they come from online stores in Asian countries, very hit or miss when dealing with individual sellers, always read ratings before choosing who to deal with, long wait times primarily for things to arrive (2+ months), can use credit card or PayPal

 

Etsy – Artisans marketplace primarily for buying crafts and antiques, depends on the vendor, always read their rating before dealing with them, hit and miss for how long items will take to arrive, some items are made to order so make sure you understand what you are buying before you purchase as the expected wait times may be 3+ months, you have to have PayPal to use Etsy

 

Local Grocery Options that Deliver:

A lot of people felt the best way to utilize delivery from stores is to buy the things that are heavy or non-perishable like pop and paper towels and go to the store for the produce themselves

 

Save on Foods – Order online, deliver to your door, it gives you certain windows for deliveries, need a credit card, there is a delivery charge approx. $10

 

Superstore – Does not deliver but does do Click and Collect where you can choose items on-line and then show up in window and they will hand your groceries to you, need a credit card

 

Lakeview Fine Foods – Delivers locally on certain days to certain areas, $14 (ish) delivery charge

 

Walmart – Delivers to your door through their website but not a lot of fresh food options are available online, free delivery on orders over a certain amount (either $30 or $50)

 

Local and Fresh: http://localandfresh.ca/

– Local, fresh, seasonal produce, delivered monthly or more often, credit card online or debit at the door

 

Delivrr: https://www.deliverr.ca/

– Delivers whatever you want, how much you pay is how much you have delivered and how long it takes them to pick it all up, groceries, fast food, liquor, etc.

 

Reach Regina: http://www.reachinregina.ca/

– Delivers “convenience meals” pre-made meals on a weekly or monthly basis, made fresh and then frozen, just defrost, cook and eat, prices and plans vary

– They also have Good Food Box depots around the city to get local fresh, seasonal produce

 

Other notes about shopping:

  • PayPal – PayPal is a way to pay online, your PayPal account is linked to your bank account and/or credit card, it allows you to type in a username and password at checkout online instead of a credit card number, it is very secure and has been around for 15+ years
  • Both Safeway & Sobeys have commitments to help customers who are blind and partially sighted to shop, to take advantage of this the best plan is to call ahead or go during a down time (middle of the afternoon) and go to customer service to receive help with shopping
  • PC Points – offered through Superstore & Shoppers are a great way to earn free groceries, they have an app that goes on the mobile phone or a physical card, for the most part points are accumulated automatically but it is a good idea to check you received all the points you were entitled to after a shopping trip, this can be done online or through the app
  • In some cities Sobeys has a liquor store and it delivers, we don’t have this yet in Regina but it should be happening soon
  • In some cities Superstore delivers as well so keep an eye our for that option here in the future
  • In some cities (Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, etc.) there is a service called Mrs. Grocery that delivers, keep an eye out for this service coming here

 

Accessible Banking:

  • The main 5 banks have a commitment to accessibility: TD, Scotiabank, RBC, CIBC & Bank of Montreal
    • Because of this they have accessible ATM machines that have a place to plug in headphones so that the banking experience is audible
  • The mom & pop banks (like Conexus, Teachers, Affinity, etc.) do not have the same commitment but they often offer better customer service to help those with needs
  • All banks offer things like RDSPs, RRSPs and TFSAs, the bigger banks may not be as accessible in getting these things as the smaller mom and pop banks are.
    • Both RBC & Scotia have a phone line to help set up RDSPs
  • Some investment companies like Sunlife and Mackenzie group offer RDSPs, TFSAs, RRSPs, etc. and it may be advisable to go with one of these as the financial advisor will often come right tot your home

 

Some other items of note from today’s meeting:

  • The Regina Public Library has 18 Victor Stratus machines for loan, if you would like to borrow one please contact Outreach at the downtown library
  • By 2019  CELA will partner with Book share so even more titles will be available to CELA patrons
  • Sobeys is getting talking prescription labels, to find out more talk to your local Sobeys pharmacist

 

Nest Meeting:

will be Saturday May 26, we will also be meeting in June before our summer hiatus. The topic for the May meeting will be Accessible Games, mostly online, but also physical games will be discussed. We will also be discussing the Access 2 Entertainment card***

 

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Published by Albert Ruel

The Albert A. Ruel Road to Blindness A 21 year old man stood on the beach at the Sproat Lake Provincial Park with friends early in May of 1977, and upon gazing across the lake found the Gulf Oil sign missing from the dock-side filling station there. When this fact was shared with his companions they glanced at him with puzzled looks and said, “No Albert, the sign is still there”. That was the beginning of a road through confusion, anger, isolation, loneliness and discovery for me. It all began with a visit to a local Optometrist who could see that my vision wasn’t right, but that corrective lenses wouldn’t help. He then referred me to a General Practitioner, where I received a clean bill of health and an additional referral. This time to an Ophthalmologist. Immediately upon peering through the dilated pupils, Dr. McKerricher was able to see the problem, Retinal Vasculitis. Now, you would think that all would start to improve at this point, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, CNIB, from 1918 until 1985 only served the needs of people who were “Legally Blind”, a level of vision loss I wouldn’t reach until November of 1979. The words of Dr. McKerricher still echo in my mind today, “Albert, I don’t know what has caused this and nothing we’ve tried is helping to stop it, and you’re not blind enough for me to refer you to CNIB”! In the middle of this transition from 20/20 vision to “Legally Blind” came the Motor Vehicle Branch and it’s rules of the road. On August 3, 1978 I drove a car for the last time as my vision had reached the level at which operating a motor vehicle became too dangerous, further intensifying feelings of fear, isolation and anger. Sadly, through this period the only available guidance and support was through family and friends, but not the experienced professionals I needed at the time. Although these support systems are critically important they can often be smothering and facilitating, rather than encouraging and supportive. With gratitude, and some trepidation I finally was able to access CNIB services in November of 1979, and the world opened up then. There I was able to meet other blind people and receive the daily living and mobility skills required to live independently in this sighted world. I learned elementary braille and began to discover technology as necessary tools of independence. Thankfully, in 1985 CNIB’s National Board altered the course of service to visually impaired Canadians forever. They added a third prong to their Mission Statement, “To promote sight enhancement services”. This opened the door to all Canadians who were beginning to lose sight, as well as those who had a fear of vision loss to access the full range of CNIB Support and Rehabilitation Services. So now, whether it’s someone’s Mother who is experiencing Macular Degeneration, or an Uncle experiencing the affects of Glaucoma, all have the ability to seek information, guidance and support as all involved deal with the fear and anxiety that accompanies such life altering experiences. With the help of professional Rehabilitation Workers and Employment Counselors I was able to continue traveling independently within my own community, and even more remarkably anywhere in the world I desired to go. I managed to attend College in Nanaimo and New Westminster, as well as traveling to the Mayo Clinic and to doctor’s appointments in Nanaimo and Vancouver without assistance. All of this while living with some usable vision, but not yet needing a white cane for travel. During the mid 1980’s I was a stay-at-home Dad and did all that was required of that challenging work, from changing diapers to preparing meals, and from cutting the grass to maintaining our home. I even took a woodworking course through Alberni’s Adult Education program and built and restored several pieces of furniture. Of course the 1958 Chevy Impala in the garage was my pride and joy, and I devised ways to do much of the work it required. I also joined and participated in many community activities, like the local Car Club, and a disability support group that catered to the needs of people with many different disabilities. Of course, continued participation in family life remained of critical importance through this period. In 1989 a secondary condition began to extinguish the vision that remained, which set into motion a new stream of professional rehabilitation services and supports. By the spring of 1990 Glaucoma had turned out the lights completely, and the darkness I had feared so desperately was upon me. Strangely though, I found this to be a great relief rather than the tragedy I had imagined it would be. Through several professional rehabilitation sessions, and by joining peer mentoring and advocacy groups I was able to come to terms with this strange feeling, and to learn additional skills and strategies for living with no visual cues of the world around me. This is also about the time that I decided to explore CNIB as an employer, and to see if I could provide the sort of guidance and support to others that had been my pleasure to receive. Those 14 years were a wonderful experience of ongoing discovery for me, as teaching may be the best way to solidify one’s own learning. In other words, those we assist through this transition in turn help us all as we develop best practices and improved service. Following a 14 year career with CNIB I also served the blind community as the first National Equality Director employed by the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), and as a Basic Computer Literacy Trainer with the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB). Most recently I have enjoyed coordinating the CCB’s newly launched Get Together with Technology Program in Western Canada, which brings to the fore my passion for assistive technology and the power of peer mentoring. Without sight I have continued to travel far and wide, with trips to Conventions of and for the Blind in Anaheim California and Melbourne Australia, as well as to many events and activities in Toronto and Vancouver. Of course my work has taken me to many communities throughout Western Canada, and most particularly nearly all regions of BC and on Vancouver Island. None of which would have been possible without the services and support of organizations like CCB, AEBC and CNIB. For most people blindness generates a fear of extended movement, both within one’s home and community, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Independence comes from personal desire and increased skill. Many community organizations can assist with both through their mentoring and skill development programs. I remember always that life has little to do with what happens to me and 100% what I do about/with it. There is a quote I like to use from the National Federation of the Blind in the USA, “With adequate skill development and opportunity blindness can be reduced to the level of a nuisance”, and nothing could be closer to the truth. Helen Keller said many years ago, “There is nothing more tragic than someone who has sight, but no vision”. She also challenged the Lions Clubs of the world to become the “Knights of the Blind, and to take up the crusade against darkness”. I too joined a Lions Club in 1992 and continue to work on the crusade that Helen Keller began in the 1920-s.

Published