Keeping in touch, hands-free

Situation

Dan has multiple sclerosis (MS) and does not have functional use of his arms or legs. He operates his powered wheelchair using head switches.

He lives alone and has a close relationship with his teenage daughter who visits frequently.

Dan approached Stretchy Tech for a solution to enable him to make video calls to his daughter independently while she travelled overseas. His daughter was due to travel overseas the following week, so the timeframe to come up with a solution was very narrow.

Although Dan has support workers available to help him during the day, he wanted to be able to do this by himself to maintain his and his daughter’s privacy.

Solution

The solution needed to be hands-free, as Dan did not have any ability to press buttons or touch a screen to make or receive the calls.

He wanted to make and receive the calls on a screen larger than a smartphone, as he had difficulty seeing the small screen of his phone clearly.

Dan was already well-versed in using smart speakers (Google and Alexa) to operate home automation in his apartment, so the occupational therapist (OT) investigated whether Dan could also use these skills to make video calls.

Outcome

Together with the Stretchy Tech technicians, the OT determined that Dan could make and receive video calls completely hands-free using a Google Nest Hub Max smart display. Fortunately, we were able to source a Google Nest Hub Max smart display within a few days, which the OT and technician set up within four days of the initial appointment.

Once set up with the display, and with some training from our OT and our smart device specialist, Dan was able to make and receive video calls independently.

Importantly, this solution meant that Dan could stay connected and follow along with his daughter’s adventures overseas, even though he could not physically be there himself.

Was there anything that didn't go to plan? How was this overcome?

The installation of this solution went to plan. The main barrier was confirming the funding and sourcing the device in the timeframe needed. The urgency was clear from the initial referral. As we have already supplied similar solutions to other customers, the initial research was already complete so we were able to move quickly.

Summary pointers for OTs, technicians, and the intended user (person with disability)

1. The technology described above has worked well for Dan and his daughter, so we think it’s worth consideration by OTs, technicians, and persons with disability, in similar situations.
2. As this was an urgent referral, our OT and admin team needed to proactively follow up Dan’s plan manager in order to get the funding confirmed with out delay.
3. When making video calls with Google meet, the call recipient also needs a registered phone number.