Ohio is a technology first state and encourages people to use technology to be more independent. It is importantly to have discussions on how people use technology to communicate and advocate for their every day needs including how people use technology to speak up in healthcare.

I have a developmental disability and I use an Augmentative Alternative Communication Device (AAC) intermittently to communicate my needs in my heathcare mainly in emergency care. I am able to use this technology to communicate my symptoms, share my pain levels and let people know how I feel overall.

It helps me get what I need without being forced to go thru unnecessary medical care.

I also use it to communicate choices about food and nutrition. I have special needs around food and I use picture exchange communication cards and AAC to tell people what I want and don’t want around food.

One of the ways I have used it the most is to communicate my needs for emergency medication with my disabilities. I have an AAC program I use called Prologue 2 Go and I can program the names and photos of my specific emergency medications into my AAC device and when I can’t speak I can push a button to tell someone I need I need that medication.

I can push a button to say I need my inhaler or my epi pen or my emergency Dystonia medication.

Today in an appointment with my allergy doctor I was able to show my doctor the AAC program that I use to communicate. He was amazed about how technology is being used to communicate in an emergency. If you think about it technology can be used to save lives.

I also have picture exchange communication cards for when the power goes out or my device loses battery that tell people I need my epi pen or I need a specific medication.

It is important for me to use technology to drive my care.

I also use phone apps to track my Dystonia symptoms, seizures and blood pressure.

I use a lot of technology in my every day life. Assisted Technology isn’t just the computer, smart phone or iPad in front of you.

Some people are using assisted technology to help them at home like google or Amazon’s Echo device to help them live at home independently with smart device access for lights and other products.

Some people use assisted technology like remote monitoring to keep them safe when they can’t access in person care providers . A lot of people with disabilities use this form of technology to be independent in their homes.

Assisted technology is a broad category of technology. In my life I consider my power wheelchair and a portable oxygen to be forms of assisted technology that support me in every day life.

My power wheelchair raises up and allows me to reach cabinets in my kitchen and spaces that I wouldn’t be able to access without it. It also has given me a safe way to tilt back and get dental care when I couldn’t access it be before due to inaccessible dental spaces for people in wheelchairs. I get my care while remaining in my wheelchair .

My portable oxygen device gives me life saving oxygen during emergencies while in the community and keeps me out of the emergency room and helps me improve health outcomes.

All around access to assisted technology has changed my life, it can be life changing for people who need to use it to be more independent.

To have a device or piece of equipment or phone or iPad application that allows me to have a voice in my care when I can’t speak through my natural voice has given me opportunities to be a part of decision making and sharing my care needs with providers .

This technology isn’t cheap and advocates are trying to change this. As Ohio promotes technology for independent living we should unite together to advocate for better accessibility in accessing these services and supports.

There is an Ohio Senator from Hudson, Ohio area who is promoting a right to communicate bill for coverage of AAC devices for children with disabilities on Medicaid .

We should also advocate for state wide initiatives that support access to assisted technology to improve one’s quality of life. Being a person who uses an AAC device intermittently I was not able to go through insurance or any grants or assistance programs for my devices or programs. I had to come up with several hundred dollars to access this technology to improve my health outcomes. People with disabilities and families often cannot afford these major expenses. We need to discuss this in our communities so people can access this critical technology to change health outcomes just as I have.