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Technology Gives Mike a Path to Independence

With tablets, sensors, and real-time virtual support, individuals once reliant on 24/7 staff now have the freedom to live life on their terms.

Mike Cahow

We’ve all dreamed of the day when we get to move out onto our own. We dream of the freedom and independence it brings - making your own decisions, running your own home, and doing things your way. But for many people with developmental disabilities, this dream can seem out of reach. Easterseals’ new Technology Enabled Support could change that.

“Technology Enabled Support is a new service line that the Department of Mental Health is putting out in which we utilize technology in a way to give our individuals more independence and take staff out [of their homes],” Jhrvonte’ Minnifield, Director of Community Living with Easterseals Midwest, said. “So we’re really empowering our individuals to be in control of their life.”

Mike is a 43-year-old living in a home with a roommate who also has developmental disabilities. The home has Direct Support Professionals present to help him with things like cooking, cleaning, and medicine administration. But Mike wants more.

The technology is important to me because one day I hope to move out on my own.

This made Mike and his roommate the perfect candidates for Easterseals’ Technology Enabled Support, a series of technologies that are equipped to someone’s home to help assist them virtually. Mike was quickly identified as the perfect candidate to start the program on a trial basis.

Before the program, Mike had staff in his home to assist him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Staff even stayed in the home with him overnight, to ensure he had everything he needed. 
With Technology Enabled Support, Mike now only has staff in his home during the day when he isn’t at work.

“[This technology] allows individuals to still be monitored and have the security and peace of mind that their needs are being taken care of even from afar,” Cody Martin, Community Living Supervisor with Easterseals, said.

Currently, Mike’s home is equipped with a tablet that he can call Easterseals’ staff on anytime, day or night, and be directly connected to someone to speak to. There are door sensors to be able to keep track of who comes in and out of the home; bed sensors in case Mike were to fall out of bed or need assistance; an e-reader that scans and reads text aloud; and an “Angel Sensor.” The Angel Sensor is a device Mike wears around his neck that he can push and speak to a staff member anytime, anywhere.

“Normal is an abstract term, but we all have our ideas of what it is to be independent and [people with disabilities] look to people out in the community – they want that level of independence too,” Martin said. “That is what we’re hoping to achieve, just getting them that much closer to what they deserve.”

There are currently four people utilizing this technology with Easterseals, and more planned for the future. With this technology in place, people with disabilities are that much closer to 100 percent equity, inclusion, and access.
 

 

Michael Kahal came to us in 2018 or 2019, I believe. When we first met Mike, it was clear from the beginning that he was in charge of his life—he’s his own guardian and made it very clear that gaining independence was a top priority for him. After a few meetings, we were able to help Mike move into his own home.

Mike is an absolute joy. He works, takes public transportation on his own, and is very vocal about his goals and needs. He’s also a pioneer for us as an agency—he was the first individual to use our Technology Enabled Support program. Through this, we introduced a range of technologies in his home to help him gain more independence. Before the program, Mike had staff with him 24 hours a day. Now, he only requires 12 hours of staff support daily.

Currently, we’re using door sensors to monitor who comes in and out of the house—not to limit access, but to ensure safety. Mike also uses a tablet that serves as a one-stop shop for his needs. Through the tablet, he can contact our tech-enabled support specialists or call for emergency help if needed. It also helps him track medications and access how-to videos for everyday tasks—like how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In case of a fall or other issue, we’re able to respond quickly and assist with vitals, medications, and other support as needed.

By reducing the need for 24/7 in-home staff, we’re not only empowering individuals like Mike to live more independently, but we’re also able to redirect staff to serve others who may currently be on waitlists or require more intensive support. This technology allows us to do what we do best—help more people in meaningful ways.

As Mike says, "Independence is important to me because someday I want to live out on my own." People with developmental disabilities want what we all want—a normal life, however that may look. “Normal” may be an abstract term, but everyone has their own vision of what independence looks like. Individuals like Mike see others in the community and want that same freedom—and that’s exactly what we’re working to achieve: getting them closer to the lives they deserve.

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