Tom,
Look at
envisionamerica.com
to see what they are doing about prescription identification.  It 
used to be Scriptalk which spoke the labels that a pharmacist would 
put on scrip. bottles.  Now it looks as though there might be more to 
it.  I have had Envision America at my annual Visually Impaired 
Awareness Day and they seem like a company that really "gets it" and 
are trying to find answers.  And of course now there are a variety of 
Iphone apps. that address some of our needs.  Not all of them God 
knows, but there are things happening out there.
Pat, K9JAUAt 07:23 PM 3/13/2014, you wrote:
>I know this is off topic, but it is important in my view.
>
>Why is it that we sometimes feel steps toward accessibility are going
>backward, rather than forward in some areas.
>
>Over the past 4 years or so, my XYL and I have had to replace our washer,
>our drier, and our dishwasher.
>
>We looked at all the usual home appliance places, and all of the machines we
>found are push-button and menu-driven.
>
>With some creativity and resourcefulness, I have been able to figure out how
>to operate these appliances independently by counting button presses,
>listening to different beep pitches, etc., but it just seems to me that it
>shouldn't be this difficult.
>
>I'm always amazed that organizations like the NFB haven't been able to put
>more pressure on manufacturers to make things more accessible, especially in
>this day and age when the technology is clearly out there.
>
>And, by this last remark, please know that I'm not casting aspersions at the
>NFB.
>
>I suspect that they have tried to have an impact, but apparently without
>much success.
>
>One other area that also has always urked me is the lack of attention paid
>to providing assistance in labeling medications, both prescription and
>over-the-counter, but that's another topic for another day.
>
>Once again, I've taken on these tasks myself, but it just seems like there
>should be another way.
>
>Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>On Behalf Of John Miller
>Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 5:21 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: OT regarding making home appliances accessible
>
>My inlaws just got a new washer about 2 months ago. It's not the old style
>dials but it has the dials that click for load size, water temp, and mode,
>cycle what ever you want to call it. It would be easy to braille label, to
>start it you just push a button. I don't know what brand it is or anything
>but I've used it with no labeling when I was helping them move. IF mine dies
>I hope to find one just like it.