VidaTalk App Review

VidaTalk is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app for your iPad that is specifically designed for the health care environment. As such, it is most useful for someone in the hospital who cannot speak.

When you’re in the hospital your vocabulary and your concerns are different than what they are in everyday life. Generally, someone in the hospital is only interested in talking about their present circumstances. As such, all the extra non-essential phrases and words are not in VidaTalk. And rightly so. If someone is in such a condition as to require VidaTalk, they do not need or want the extra stuff. It would be a nuisance and would only convolute the app.

Little cordialities such as “Lovely weather outside!” and “Did you see the game last night?” and “My name is Dave” are gone to the wayside. I’ve never been on a ventilator, but I’m guessing most people in that predicament don’t care about the weather or the game so much. And the people you see, such as the doctors and nurses, already know your name.

Someone who is on a ventilator would absolutely LOVE to have an iPad with VidaTalk installed. And I think that’s a massive understatement. Don’t misunderstand me – VidaTalk is hugely advantageous for more people than just those who are on a ventilator. It’s perfect for anyone in a care facility who is unable to speak.

The alternative is an old-fashioned pen and pad or a more rudimentary form of communication like thumbs up or thumbs down in order to respond to simple questions you’re asked. VidaTalk turns patient/caregiver communication on its head by putting the patient in the driver’s seat!

What are the most common questions and statements someone on a ventilator would want to say?

“When is my tube coming out?”

“What is happening?”

“I am in pain.”

“I want a nurse.”

“I want my family.”

VidaTalk features quick buttons to speak the most common things you’d want to say.

One wise and well-thought-out feature in VidaTalk is how the buttons state things matter-of-factly, no doubt in order to get to the point and also conserve screen real estate. But the expressions spoken by VidaTalk are spoken in a kind manner, considering social norms and people’s feelings.

For example, consider the button that reads “I want a nurse.” It’s a bit rude to blurt out, “I want a nurse.” So when you touch that button to speak that expression VidaTalk says, “I would like to see my nurse.” It was smart of the developer to take that into consideration and to incorporate that feature.

VidaTalk comes in many languages too! And it’s even ready to facilitate communication between you and a doctor who speaks a different language. Wow! VidaTalk is practically a translator.

Need to draw something to help your caregiver understand? VidaTalk’s got you covered. The “Draw” screen allows you to use your finger to quickly sketch whatever you need.

Words/text not enough? Need pictures on the buttons? No problem. You can convert the interface to only text, only pictures, or both at the same time.

Need to express pain or discomfort in a visual manner? You got it. Images of a human silhouette allow you to touch a body part to identify a region and a built-in pain scale allows you to tell a caregiver about the intensity of your pain.

Need to say something and yet you see no buttons to express it for you? VidaTalk has a mode for text-to-speech. That means you can type it and the app will say it for you.

Largely devoid of humor, and appropriately so, the app features a bit of irony. I love it. VidaTalk has convenient buttons to allow a user to say, “I would like to make a call.” I’m not sure how that person would talk on the phone when they have a tube down through their mouth and they need VidaTalk to speak for them. Haha! A phone call seems nearly impossible in that situation.

I haven’t seen an augmentative and alternative communication app that’s more suitable for the health care environment. VidaTalk nicely fits itself into that niche. I’ve had hands-on experience with many of the top AAC apps and I think most of them would be a burden in the health care arena.

Every hospital should have iPads with VidaTalk installed and ready to go. What a tremendous service that would be for patients who cannot speak!

VidaTalk comes in many flavors (i.e. languages). At the time of this review the English Only version is $49.99. The multilingual version is $189.99. The many bilingual versions, such as English to Spanish cost $69.99 each. Documentation and details about the app from the developer can be found at VidaTak.com.