TechACCESS November 2022 Newsletter

Volume 38 November 2022

Monthly Focus!

This month's focus is on:

AAC and Thanksgiving, Alzheimer's Awareness Month, and National Family Caregivers Month

AAC and Thanksgiving

As we get ready to gather with family and friends, there are ways to insure that AAC users can be part of the conversation!

Be prepared:

Have charged before traveling and bring charger and/or external battery
Have a light-tech/low-tech backup if possible (i.e., printouts of AAC screen)
Keep AAC out and available during social/family gatherings

Modeling:

Model AAC throughout preparation and social scenarios
Model greetings and names of relatives

Want to learn more about modeling?

Activities for modeling:

Activity 1 making mashed potatoes:

Core words: make, put, in, turn, push, smell, good, yum, white, smooth, stir, look
Fringe: potatoes, spoon, milk, butter
Phrases: “make potatoes,” “stir spoon,” “put in milk,” “smell good,” “looks smooth”

Activity 2 dinner table:

Core words: like, not, want, more, help, done, yum, yuck, look, smell, taste, please, thanks
Fringe: food items
Phrases: “I like it,” “not like,” “want more,” “smells yummy,” “I want more please,” “I want ___”

You can find more about using AAC during the holidays here.

Here are some additional resources!

Free low-tech Thanksgiving board

Boardmaker seasonal activities

How to make a Thanksgiving communication placemat

Alzheimer's Awareness Month: At Supports

According to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, there are more than 6.2 million Americans living with Alzheimer's. Assistive Technology tools can support individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia to complete tasks more independently.

Wearables

Timers:

Wearable timers come in many different forms, like a digital wristwatch or smart watch or even a kitchen timer watch with a clip. Smartphones also can be set with timers.

Assistive devices like timers allow those with memory difficulties to “set it and forget it”. You can create a timer for day-to-day activities like:

How long the stove should be kept on?
How long until you should leave for a medical appointment?

Those who can write can create a note on a whiteboard or a post-it note reminding them why the timer was set. Some devices allow you to make notes within the device’s program itself.

Alarms/Alerts:

Wearable alarms can also be found within many devices and as separate tools. Alarms could be set for reoccurring events to help with:

Being independent with medication management
Prompting meals or fluid intake
Assisting with contacting caretakers or loved ones

Smart Pens

Smart pens can help with individuals who may be experiencing difficulties with reading and writing due to decrease in memory skills, visual perception or graphic recognition. Smart Pens can help with activities like:

Writing down directions
Creating to-do lists
Creating shopping lists

Smart Home Technology

Smart home technology can be utilized in many ways to help manage the symptoms associated with dementia and Alzheimer's, specifically a decrease in short term memory. Smart home technology can provide visual and auditory reminders that can be set up and managed by a caregiver. Things like daily medication reminders as well as upcoming appointments can be scheduled into an Alexa device to help the individual remember their daily tasks and needs. Smart cameras can also be used by a care giver to provide remote monitoring support from a smartphone or another Alexa device. This can provide a sense of security for care givers and loved ones, it can also provide a secondary means to communication in case of emergencies.

On November 3rd, more than 800 structures around the world will Light the World in Teal this year to raise awareness and show support for the millions of people affected by Alzheimer’s. Find out how you can support this initiative.

National Family Caregiver's Month

National Family Caregivers Month – celebrated each November -- is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country.

According to the Family Caregivers Alliance, approximately 39.8 million caregivers provide care to adults (aged 18+) with a disability or illness or 16.6% of Americans.

Caregiver Action Network (the National Family Caregivers Association) began promoting national recognition of family caregivers in 1994. President Clinton signed the first NFC Month Presidential Proclamation in 1997 and every president since has followed suit by issuing an annual proclamation recognizing and honoring family caregivers each November.

Caregiver Action Network is the organization that chooses how to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month annually and spearheads the celebration of NFC Month nationally and coordinates with organizations across the field, including the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

The ACL recently released the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, which includes nearly 500 actions that can be adopted at every level of government and across the public and private sectors to ensure that family caregivers—who provide the overwhelming majority of long-term care in the United States—have the resources they need to maintain their own health, well-being, and financial security while providing crucial support for others.

RIMAC Books & Resources for Thanksgiving

RIMAC has some amazing book kits to help celebrate Thanksgiving! You can borrow them by becoming a patron of the library.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey

Five Silly Turkeys

Apples and Pumpkins

You can easily find books to fit the season or holiday by checking out our new Resource List.

And did you know that RIMAC delivers?

We now drop-off and pick-up materials to school districts 30 minutes or more away from the TechACCESS of RI office. Are you interested in finding out more? Email Becky for more information.