![]() ![]() ![]() In addition, labeling and packaging have been a longstanding problem for older adults and for anyone who cannot read or understand the tiny type that appears on most prescription bottles and the accompanying pamphlets listing side effects and drug interactions. How can a blind person drive through a pharmacy? Why isn’t walk-through an option? The pandemic has cast a spotlight on inequalities at pharmacies, where precautions and new programs have further limited access to health care for people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities.Ĭritical services like drive-through coronavirus testing, vaccination and pharmacy pickup windows have failed in many instances because they were rolled out in ways that were inaccessible. The company offers service to blind people and those with low vision, including assistance from those who can see and free home delivery for prescriptions, medical devices and over-the-counter medications. Unlike most other pharmacies, Accessible Pharmacy does not cater to walk-in customers or, for that matter, people who can see. ![]() Chong said the new specialty pharmacy provided an array of products and assistance “so that the blind can identify their medications privately and independently.” Chong learned about Accessible Pharmacy Services, a start-up, that now delivers his medication with labels that convert text to speech. Chong, a retiree in Aurora, Colo., said he is readily identifiable as a blind person, because he uses a white cane for mobility, his pharmacist never suggested he could have his medications labeled in an accessible way. Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times.ĭuring the pandemic, Curtis Chong has avoided the 2-½ hour journey to his grocery store pharmacy - including a round-trip bus ride - to pick up his prescription.Įven though Mr. It can read the information aloud using an app called ScripTalk, used by people with limited sight. A pill container with a tag on its bottom, programmed to include medication information, is synced to a smartphone. The pandemic has exposed flaws in services for people who can’t easily access a drive-through window for Covid shots or testing or can’t read prescription labels. ![]()
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