By Aimee Sterk, LMSW
I’ve heard about and used some cool AT recently that doesn’t all fit in one category for a cohesive blog post, but I still want to share these with you, so in no particular order, enjoy these apps, devices, and resources.
Songify
The Atlantic had a great article about relieving anxiety through singing using the Songify App. I’m very much going to give this a try! Songify allows you to take intrusive anxious thoughts and make them feel more trivial by turning them into a funny song. The author took her fear of having contracted leishmaniasis and turned it into a song you can listen to in the article. My brain does a great job of generating fears. I think Songify will help me fight back. My psychiatrist also informed me that negative thinking/negative self-talk can also be mediated using singing. She gave the example of singing “I’m so stupid” to Camptown Races. The beauty of music therapy of all sorts! Songify is available on iOS, Android, and Google Play. What apps and AT do you use for anxiety and/or negative self-talk?
EatWell
Inspired after seeing her grandmother struggle with eating after developing Alzheimer’s, the designer of EatWell created an adaptive dining set. It is user-centered design and helps to increase food intake and maintain dignity, while also making the process of eating as easy as possible. In this way, users can feed themselves for as long as possible. The design has more than 20 features including colors to help users distinguish food, no-slip bases, slanted bottoms to help users gather food without having to scoop, ergonomic handles, and spoon heads that match the curves of the bowls and basin. The set even comes with a tray with clips which would allow the user to attach a bib or apron to prevent food staining clothes. The EatWell set has won many awards including the 2014 Stanford Design Challenge.
Making Food Preparation Easier
I’ve been having more trouble with fatigue lately, especially after finding out I’m pregnant. For me this means having the energy to cook healthy meals is a challenge. I also was talking to some people I know who use home and community based supports to live in the community. They were talking about finding the energy to cook for themselves because the Meals On Wheels in our community is just not very good. We discussed cutting back on the need for intensive prep and clean up to conserve energy and swapped recipe ideas for Sheet Pan Suppers and One-pot Meals. There are some great options for recipes online that require less energy and time in prep and clean up. EatingWell has some delicious sheet-pan recipes, though they have more costly ingredients than some other recipe sites. I especially enjoy the kale potato hash with eggs and the mini meatloaves with green beans and potatoes. I also found some sheet-pan recipes on Allrecipes I want to try. I find myself using things like pre-shredded cabbage and my food processor more often now and digging out my 30 minute meal cookbooks. I also put away my heavy cast iron cookware and get out lighter pieces like my ceramic non-stick everyday pan which can cook an entire meal but is light weight and easy to clean. It can also go from stovetop to oven or vice versa. What are your cooking hacks?
You know, maybe these aren’t so random after all–I do a lot of cooking and eating when I’m anxious–and I’m working on the anxious eating part.
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We explored the designs and technology used in the bathroom, including shower seats, grab bars, handheld shower heads, and specially designed floor tiles to reduce the risk of falls. I was also introduced for the first time (and got to try out) a bidet toilet. Popular in many other countries, bidet toilets have a water sprayer to help with personal hygiene and allow many people who would otherwise need assistance to take care of their needs independently in the bathroom. The model we looked at, known as the Toto, even had a dryer and a heated toilet seat. it is not often talked about, but technology such as this can also help cut down on medical problems such as urinary tract infections.
As a bonus, our group was also given a look at the new MV-1 accessible vehicle from Mobility Ventures. The vehicle is meant to accommodate wheelchairs whether they be the passenger or the driver. Unlike most accessible vehicles, the MV-1 is purchased “as is” without extensive retrofitting, or lowered floors that can often scrape in driveways, snow, etc.
The program provides loans for home modifications as long as they will increase the applicant’s accessibility within the house, apartment, or on the property, such as installation of ramps, roll-in showers, or other modifications. Individuals with hearing, vision, or other disabilities may benefit from various modifications to improve accessibility within their homes.
