Grandma Martha was a saint, but life was never easy for her.
After her husband passed away, she spent 40 years caring for two children with developmental disabilities: Aunt Carla, who has Down Syndrome, and Uncle Dale, who has cerebral palsy and cannot speak. As if that wasn’t enough to keep Grandma busy, she also took on Jason, a developmentally disabled foster child who came from a troubled background.
Grandma dedicated her life to caring for people; but as she aged, there came a time when she needed the support she had so lovingly provided others. Always independent, she wanted to live her golden years on her terms – and that meant living at home rather than tucked away in a nursing home.
Of course, her family wanted to provide her the necessary support, but with everyone living busy lives we found it difficult to ensure Grandma had everything she needed at all times. As much as you want to, sometimes you simply can’t be there.
Then, we discovered assistive technology.
Through assistive technology, we found solutions that could accommodate the needs of an independent senior citizen. She could quickly contact us in an emergency. She could stay connected with family and friends, even those who lived far away. We had peace of mind Grandma was safe, and her quality of life was improved by being able to connect with the people she loved.
With assistive technology, Grandma was able to live life on her terms until God called her home.
New circumstances were challenging.
One of Grandma’s last wishes was that Dale, Carla and Jason – now adults – were cared for. Carla was struggling with the early stages of dementia, and though she now lived with her sister, it quickly became clear she needed an additional layer of support to maintain a level of independence. Again, we were able to find solutions with assistive technology that made it easier for Carla to get along at home and for us to ensure her safety.
Jason and Dale moved into an apartment together, and we employed assistive technology so they could live independently and still conveniently connect to family members for support: a video intercom so they could reach us at any time, a video doorbell system so we could help monitor visitors, and a phone so they could reach us when outside the home.
We would never say technology should take the place of face-to-face interaction.
However, as a family we’ve learned that assistive technology offers peace of mind that your loved ones are cared for, ensures someone can act fast in an emergency, and fosters connections that enrich life for those who might otherwise struggle with the daily tasks the rest of us take for granted. That’s the true power of assistive technology.
That revelation was the motivation behind LifeZest. We know how scary it can be when it’s difficult to provide the support your loved ones need. Our hope is that, through this site, you can find solutions that will grant you the peace of mind we’ve found through assistive technology and enrich quality of life for your loved ones.
Sincerely,
The Morris Family
