- Marci Straughter, a 44 -year -old woman suffering from hydrocephalus and epilepsy, uses a GPS apparatus called Angelsense to live more independently.
- Angelsense offers a feeling of security and safety, allowing the narrow to comfortably navigate radiographs and other activities she loves.
- The device offers a direct line to help, monitoring the location in real time and peace of mind for users and caregivers.
- Assistance technology like Angelsense has become more and more popular, offering a profitable alternative to constant care while promoting the independence of disabled people.
- The expansion advocates the use of Angelsense and thinks that it can allow others to live more fulfilling and independent lives.
Marci Braughter likes to go out.
The Dublin resident, 44, likes to dine with her friends, plead for the disabled community and share technology with others.
But before wearing a small rounded GPS device called Angelsense In her bag with her everywhere, she was much more reluctant to do the activities she loves. Instead, fear would keep her at home, otherwise she should wait for an assistant to be able to with her.
But now, the Traume is not retained by its fear, or its hydrocephalus and its epilepsy, which prevent it from driving itself.
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She puts herself comfortably in Radeshares, knowing that the device in her handbag keeps her at once on a button on help and security.
“It’s more than a GPS tracker. For me, it is also security and security, so I love it,” said Straughter, who has been using the device for about three years.
Assistance technology for people with disabilities has increased availability and popularity. It is cheaper than employing staff members; has reduced the need and pressure of direct support professionals; And allows disabled more freedom and agency, said Nanette Matter, service coordination supervisor to Franklin County Development DisordersWhere Straght serves the board of directors.
Angelsense has more than 1,000 Ohio users and nearly 27,000 nationally.
Straughter is able to use Angelsense, which costs around $ 530 a year, free of charge thanks to a waiver of the state for assistance technology. Exemptions are administered by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disability (SDDD) and funded by Medicaid. They cover a myriad of assistance technology devices.
In Ohio, derogations for this type of technology are relatively new, said Straughter. They have been available since 2019, according to a ODDD reportWhile the Ohio derogation program as a whole has more than three decades. The exemptions were introduced as part of the Ohio Technology First Initiativewhich was intended to reduce the need and to express the direct professional workforce in OHIO.
There has been a well-documented shortage of people who provide care for people with disabilities since the start of the Pandemic COVVI-19. In 2024, 95% of suppliers across the country declared having shortages of moderate personnel to severe professionals of direct support, according to the American network of community options and resources (formerly), A national non -profit association defending people with disabilities.
Although technology can be expensive, it is less expensive than employing direct services, said Match.
“This saves dollars, especially when we hit the pandemic and it has almost become an emergency crisis with losing staff and not have enough personnel available,” she said. “We have really seen an increase in the use of remote support and assistance technology.”
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Katalin Daigle, a friend of Straughter’s and director of business development in Angelsense, saw him change the life of Straughter for the best.
“I see a huge boost of confidence and a desire to do things by itself and not to think about it because it has this safety net,” said Daigle about the aircraft.
How does Angelsense work?
If Straught pushes the large button of the device, it is connected to a vocal call with Daigle and Straughter’s Remote Support Agency, which offers its help to help it live independently.
If her friend is worried about her or has not heard of her, she can also call Straughter through the aircraft and the call will resume automatically, said Daigle. So, if Straght is unable to do it at the time, she does not have to grope to take a phone call.
“Angelsense is a life buoy. … Now I can go alone,” said Straughter. “I feel like I have very good additional safety.”
The device offers caregivers a more precise location than other applications, said Daigle, with the possibility of being able to follow someone’s precise location – to what floor of a three -story shopping center on which he is. He also has a longer battery life than a mobile phone and can be used by people who are unable to use a mobile phone, she said.
“It’s no longer freedom … less concern,” said Daigle. “It also gives this tranquility of mind to people who take care of you.”
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Caregivers have access to the telephone application associated with the GPS device and can follow the person they are dealing with, said Daigle.
Who can use Angelsense?
Assistance technologies are used by parents to keep track of their children, people with developmental disorders to be able to live more freely and older adults, who can use them so that they can age.
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Straght’s experience with assistance technology like Angelsense is not unique, said Match.
“Assistance technology has increased the ability of our individuals to go out more in communities, to be able to live more independently at home without having personnel by their side,” she said.
And assistance technology opens even more doors to people with developmental problems, Match said.
“Now, I can perhaps go to the movies by myself, go to the grocery store by myself,” said Match, disabled people using assistance technology. “I can be in the community and society like everyone else. … and I always have the safety of being able to contact someone if I need it.”
Straught recommends Angelsense to other “daily”, she said.
“It’s the recipe for me not to be afraid,” said Straughter. “I feel like I am independent and Angelsense really helped me.
@Danaeking