Always looking for new, creative ways to help
The coronavirus pandemic forever changed how service organizations deliver the programs and services on which the community depends. Lifesteps embraced the challenge by doing what it does best: evaluating its offerings and finding new and creative ways to serve the community.
Shifting from in-person to virtual delivery was among the ways most service agencies accommodated for the unprecedented situation.
That adjustment got the leadership at Lifesteps thinking about remote supports and their role moving forward.
Remote support services is evolving as a component of helping adults with disabilities live more independently, said Karen Sue Owens, Lifesteps president and chief executive.
“Types of disabilities have changed since the 1920s as well as the types of assistive technology needed,” she said. “We need to continue developing opportunities for people with all types of disabilities to live more independently through the use of technology while also considering a person’s safety.”
Assistive technology is hardly a new thing. Communication devices help people with speech impairments to communicate verbally. Mobility devices help individuals move around independently. Sensory devices such as screen readers, magnifiers and cochlear implants help people with visual and auditory disabilities.
As technology advances, more opportunities exist to incorporate it in ways that boost independent living for persons with a disability by reducing their dependence in person support staff.
“The whole role of technology is changing again, giving people greater independence,” she said. “So, that’s where our organization is really focused as we look to the future.”
One of the ways Owens said the agency envisions using technology is to help adults with disabilities enjoy greater freedom and independence in their homes and community.
“Instead of having staff with them 24/7, individuals with disabilities can have greater independence by using technology that allows them to call for help when needed,” she said.
The type of remote support service depends on the individual support plan the adult with disabilities has in place.
Several options for remote support service delivery exist. Active support would provide real-time oversight during scheduled times. A remote caregiver would monitor a system and responds as needed.
On-demand active support offers real-time oversight only when the person with disabilities requests it. This scenario might include a live video or audio feed the individual can use to call for assistance.
Other options include scheduled check-ins and in-person drop-ins where a remote caregiver calls, videos, or stops by in person at a pre-selected day and time.
Remote supports aren’t meant to be a one-size-fits-all solution, nor should they replace contact with real people, Owens said.
“There’s still a necessary human component,” she said. “You can’t replace the human connection, or human relationships with technology. Technology can give greater independence, but you still need that human connectedness at the same time.”
