When Eyes Become Old, Kindle a New Way of Reading

Whether curled up by the fireplace in the winter or relaxing poolside in the summer, millions of people read books everyday. Reading keeps our minds active and allows us to learn more about the world around us.

But as we age, loss of vision and other sight impairments often interfere with the ability to read easily and comfortably. Therefore making a once-loved hobby, difficult and inaccessible. 

Luckily, for seniors with sight impairments, there has been a tremendous rise in e-readers like the Amazon Kindle and Kobo Forma, both of which allow users to enlarge the text to a custom size that works for them. Kindles and Formas also provide optimum background light, so it’s easy on the eyes.

E-readers are great for those with mild to moderate vision impairment who often struggle to read the pages of a traditional book. Once connected to the internet, users have access to vast libraries of e-books from around the world! 

Audiobooks are also incredibly popular among those with sight impairments, and many audiobook apps like Audible and Homer Player can be used with a smartphone or a computer. Even those without vision impairments love audiobooks because of the convenience, and because it’s great fun to listen to the voice actors bring the book to life. 

Audiobooks are sometimes narrated by celebrities, and here are five of our favorites:

1. Brother & Sister, written and narrated by Diane Keaton. This memoir from the famous actress explores her relationship with her younger brother, and reflects on the different paths they took in life. 
2. My Name is Lucy Barton, written by Elizabeth Strout and narrated by actress Laura Linney. This best-selling novel details the complicated relationship between a woman and her mother, and was also performed as a play several years back.
3. The Dharma Bums, written by Jack Kerouac and narrated by actor Ethan Hawke. Kerouac, one of the most popular Beat Generation writers, chronicles his relationship with another young writer as they travel across the country searching for happiness, the meaning of life, and everything in between.
4. Year of the Monkey, written and narrated by Patti Smith. The award-winning author recounts a transformative year of her life in this memoir. 
5. Uncommon Type, written and narrated by Tom Hanks. The legendary actor reads his wonderful short story collection.

Enjoying reading in assisted living 

At UMC at The Shores, we believe assisted living residents should be able to continue to pursue and enjoy their hobbies to the best of their ability. Whether it’s reading, sewing, music, or something else, our assisted living community is designed to fully support residents when they can no longer (or choose not to) live at home. 

Many people in assisted living continue to enjoy their interests. When it comes to reading, audiobooks and e-readers have made reading more accessible to older adults with vision impairment and other accessibility issues. This advanced technology allows our residents to continue appreciating the things they love, while our associates are happily on stand-by to assist with any technological issues when needed. 

For more information about The Shores, or if you have any questions about assisted living, please contact our team today. Discover why we’re the trusted assisted living community for so many people in the South Jersey area.