Activity for low vision seniors

[Jenny230 0]

I have designed and had manufactured a low vision spelling card game, A to 3, suitable for ages 8 to the elderly. My father was legally blind from wet age-related macular degeneration, and I couldn't find any games to buy that he could see well enough to play. He was unable to use even large print Bingo cards. So I decided to create my own game, with my father as my initial game tester!

 

Besides creating a game that is accessible for those with low vision, I also wanted to create a game that could be played by a large group, led by an activity staff member, that would provide some opportunity for social interaction between the players. A to 3 can be used as a group or tournament game using multiple decks. Players sit together in small groups at a number of tables, with the players at each table sharing a deck of cards, and passing their cards to the next player after each round. Players play simultaneously with their own hand of 10 cards spread out on the table in front of them, so there is no down time waiting for your turn! Sometimes players will help each other out with suggestions of words they could spell with their cards.The top scorers of each game session can be posted later in the day, or the next day, as a way to draw people back to the game room.

 

A to 3 game cards are designed with large, bold graphics. Accurate color perception is not necessary to differentiate the cards. My father, a retired childrens' book illustrator, was fairly color blind, even before he developed AMD. I found that many of the low vision games available in stores are not designed for those with colorblindness, so I was very careful about this aspect. Before I had the game manufactured, I took the prototype around to several low vision support groups in the Chicago area for confirmation that the graphics were user friendly for those with low vision.

 

Images and lots of information about the game is available at my web site, www.talbareegames.com. Visit the Activity Directors page for details on using the game for large groups and as a tournament game, including printable forms for posting game night or tournament results.

 

Feedback on the game would be greatly appreciated!