Can Technology Help Ease the Burden of Handwriting for People with Disabilities?

[Crosson]

Many of us find it irritating to sign credit card receipts when making purchases, but for some people with disabilities this seemingly minor inconvenience can be very painful.

Similarly, many landlords and a few utility companies still require paper checks as payment. Making out a check to someone and then signing it can be very painful for people with some disabilities.

What I am looking for is a solution that allows a person with disabilities to avoid these painful actions, which are only necessary because of arbitrary conventions that have been established with only able-bodied people in mind.

Using a credit card online or by phone is a partial solution, but I am looking for something that can be presented at Brick and Mortar stores to make an electronic transaction that does not require any handwriting. For writing checks, does anyone know of a free piece of software that allows a standard printer to validly print payee, amount, word amount, date, memo, an signature onto a wallet size check?

I would also be interested in hearing any solutions for how to fill out the forms at a doctor or dentist office, or anywhere else that paper forms are required. It would be really nice if society demanded that places who have forms to fill out should also have assistants for people with disabilities.

 

[rootX]

Yes, this society sucks!

I also hate handling bills, forms, checks etc.

Solution for me: hire someone trustworthy who is willing to do all the work for you :): Pay your bills, do shopping for you, take care of your pay checks

Someone told me that would be a wife/gf

 

[Evo]

If you have a disablity that makes writing difficult when filling out forms at a doctor's office, they definitely will do it for you.

Most banks have online checking that doesn't require you to sign anything.

If I use my bank's debit card when I go shopping, I don't need to sign anything and there is no fee to use it for purchases.

 

[cristo]

Many of us find it irritating to sign credit card receipts when making purchases, but for some people with disabilities this seemingly minor inconvenience can be very painful.

Well, if someone has a disability, then they should just make their signature shorter, thus cutting down on the inconvenience.

Similarly, many landlords and a few utility companies still require paper checks as payment. Making out a check to someone and then signing it can be very painful for people with some disabilities.

Really? Over here in the UK direct debits have been the default for several years. In fact, most of the companies I am with charge more for paper bills and/or paying by cheque.

 

[Crosson]

Thanks for the responses,

Solution for me: hire someone trustworthy who is willing to do all the work for you :): Pay your bills, do shopping for you, take care of your pay checks

That would be nice, but to hire someone requires money, and money requires work, so the increase in pain from the extra work will be not enough to offset the (very high) cost of having a personal assistant.

Someone told me that would be a wife/gf

That is a nice thought. Unfortunately there is already a high divorce rate among the main population, and it seems that one of the partners acquiring a major disability makes separation even more likely.

If you have a disablity that makes writing difficult when filling out forms at a doctor's office, they definitely will do it for you.

Do you have to provide proof, or do you just ask? Is this true everywhere, or only at the doctor's office? What about at the dentist? What if they say "no", what is the backup plan?

Most banks have online checking that doesn't require you to sign anything.

I am not familiar with this, are you saying that the bank provides the services of writing and mailing the check? I bet that getting this setup requires going to the bank and signing a form.

If I use my bank's debit card when I go shopping, I don't need to sign anything and there is no fee to use it for purchases.

Good advice. Credit cards are good for students, and they will be until the message trickles down that paying your own way through college requires working and saving money from age 16 or so. It is a lie that federal financial aid can help someone with no money go to school, since the aid money does not arrive until after the person has already failed all their classes assuming they had no money for transportation, housing, etc. Credit cards are suited for filling these gaps.

Well, if someone has a disability, then they should just make their signature shorter, thus cutting down on the inconvenience.

Good idea, but how can someone get away with changing their signature in the middle of life? Won't it appear inconsistent with critical past documents?

Really? Over here in the UK direct debits have been the default for several years. In fact, most of the companies I am with charge more for paper bills and/or paying by cheque.

That is the case for most utilities in America as well, but most landlords want rent checks to be made on paper and some utility companies in some areas want paper checks.

I appreciate everyone's responses.

 

[Evo]

Do you have to provide proof, or do you just ask? Is this true everywhere, or only at the doctor's office? What about at the dentist? What if they say "no", what is the backup plan?

I can't imagine them saying no, but if they did, then tell them you will be unable to fill out the form.

I am not familiar with this, are you saying that the bank provides the services of writing and mailing the check? I bet that getting this setup requires going to the bank and signing a form.

Yes, they will do it, it differs from electronic checks, which can also be done if the company you are paying accepts those. The Evo Child goes online and uses the bank's check mailing service, she signed up for it on-line. If your bank doesn't offer theses services, you might want to shop around.

Good idea, but how can someone get away with changing their signature in the middle of life? Won't it appear inconsistent with critical past documents?

My name is so long that I changed it to a few illegible squiggles. Eventually everything will match. Oddly I was never questioned why nothing matched. Now even my driver's license finally matches the squiggle.

 

[Moonbear]

You can have the bank issue a paper check through online transactions. I do it for my rent, mostly because I can schedule it to be sent automatically the same time every month. I wanted to electronically transfer the funds to my landlord, since we both would have preferred it, but I could never figure out how to do it, or if I can do it, with my bank's online system (I think it was a problem with verifying the landlord's account; in order to do the whole transaction electronically rather than by paper, they have to call him and set up his end so he doesn't have to give me his account information, just the bank, but I'll bet he either didn't answer the call not recognizing the bank or didn't verify it if he didn't know why they were calling...there were some lags in communication about it when I was trying to set it up).

Having them mail a bank check drawn off my account works well enough for me for that purpose, and would suffice for anyone who requires a paper check.

And, like Evo, old documents don't match my incomprehensible squiggle of a signature anymore either. Everyone's signatures change over time. About the only place where you don't replace the signature line every few years is voter registration, and then if they can match your signature to your photo ID, I'm sure there'd be a way to deal with that. There are people who abruptly lose function of the arm they write with, so would have a completely different signature if they have to sign with their non-dominant hand after that, so there must be ways to accommodate that already. At most, for something like a court proceeding, it might require a witness to verify your identity and the timeline when your signature changed due to a physical disability.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Really? Over here in the UK direct debits have been the default for several years. In fact, most of the companies I am with charge more for paper bills and/or paying by cheque.

The management company for my apartment will only do electronic payment if I allow them to automatically remove the money from my account on the first. Other than that they won't even take a personal check. They only accept cashiers checks and money orders. What I can't understand is how it can be legal for anyone to refuse to accept payment of a debt in legal tender.

 

[WarPhalange]

Many of us find it irritating to sign credit card receipts when making purchases, but for some people with disabilities this seemingly minor inconvenience can be very painful.

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/

 

[cristo]

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/

That's one thing that I find really weird when I go to the US: nobody checks your signature, and in fact most places hand your card back before you've signed the receipt! That doesn't happen over here; shop assistants always check your signature-- well, they used to. Now we've got "chip and pin" which means entering your PIN number when paying instead of signing.

 

[Evo]

Since falling the other night and getting a cast on my writing hand, the nurse filled out all of my paperwork and my daughter signed. When I stopped at the pharmacy to get medication, I told them to use my Visa as debit so I would only have to punch in my pin with my good finger, no signature. The clerk offered to carry everything to my car for me.

 

[JasonRox]

How often do you sign something? Once a day on average, if that.

Hardly considered pain. Very very very few disabled people would fall in a category where it would be problematic, and in such a case, I'm sure assistance is available or atleast in Canada there is.

 

[JasonRox]

Since falling the other night and getting a cast on my writing hand, the nurse filled out all of my paperwork and my daughter signed. When I stopped at the pharmacy to get medication, I told them to use my Visa as debit so I would only have to punch in my pin with my good finger, no signature. The clerk offered to carry everything to my car for me.

Exactly, it's rare that someone will not assist you.

I hope no one is suggesting government funded assistance. Having people wait around to sign something.