OUTCOMES REPORT & CASE STUDY
Participant: Raina Keegan
Address: 2 Greenway, Apt. 3, Manorville, NY 11949
Phone: (631) 740-1953
Recommendations for Raina based on home visits June and July, 2022, and follow-up assessment visit 4/29/24.
Tony Gentry, PhD OTR/L – (804) 840-6900; logentry@vcu.edu
Raina was the first person assessed for the smart home study, in June and July 2022. Somehow she fell through the cracks; when I met with her yesterday (4/29/24), she said she’s still interested and, on review, the original recommendations still stand (see attached). I’ve updated the recommendations, as location/price of some items have changed.
Important: Raina has ID and anxiety disorder. She will need to have the team install the equipment for her, and take the time (it may take a few visits) to teach her how to use each of the items. Please also make sure that she has a reliable contact to call with any concerns or questions as she uses the AT. Please follow-up with her until she is confident that she can use all of the AT on her own successfully.
Raina lives in a first-floor one bedroom apartment (bedroom and bathroom upstairs in loft) with two cats. Because of cognitive-attentional challenges, requires 2x weekly home visits by caregiver to assist with organization, safety concerns, cooking, housecleaning, community mobility (she does not drive), etc. See SIS-A for more info on this.
On initial visits in 2022, Raina’s wifi was spotty. She has since rectified that problem, now has robust wifi, uses Samsung Galaxy smart phone.
| Cookstop
(electric stove) |
$385 | https://www.cookstop.com/. Please visit to see which stove plug Raina has, in order to get the correct version of the Cookstop.
|
| Rhoomba 692 vacuum cleaner | 275 | https://amzn.to/49ZE0ML.
Raina has two cats and carpeted floor. This Rhoomba is rated best for pet owners. Will need to load app on her phone and teach her to program, use and empty the robot. |
| EZPIC folding grabber for opening hand crank upstairs window | 27 | https://amzn.to/3N2rZui
A second reacher for high cabinets in kitchen would help, too. But in kitchen, even better to move high items down lower and stop using high cabinets. |
| First Alert E-Z fire spray | 10 | Amazon (recommend 2 or 3, kitchen area). Use one for demo and teaching purposes. https://amzn.to/3NJpM8g
|
| Portable night light (2-pack) | 35 | https://amzn.to/39uYVOH
When power goes out, can use as flashlight. One for loft bedroom, the other for first floor living area. |
| Safe knife | 26 | rounded edge carving knife: https://amzn.to/3xEHlkp
|
| Food chopper | $45 | Pampered Chef: https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Favorites/Favorites/Food+Chopper/2585
|
| Pet Zone Semi-Automatic litter box | 145 | Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QrQ8iq. Will need set up, demonstration, and follow-up to make sure she is okay using this item for her two cats. |
| ACER Aspire Windows 11 Laptop pc | 299 | For zoom calls, budgeting, education, job search, other uses
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wfNfum Please connect to wifi, set up zoom account, and orient her to other uses she may name |
| Echo Show 10 for living area | 250 | Echo Show 10 – https://amzn.to/3zv6wHh
Set up where she can access it from living room or kitchen. Set up Alexa app on her phone. Will use for cooking classes, medication and appointment reminders, video calls with care providers and family, emergency calls. |
| Echo Dot | 28 | Amazon: https://amzn.to/4blFMsr
Set up at bedside in loft; make sure it’s connected and teach her how to use it. |
Training and Reminder/Task Supports:
Recommended approach is to implement in a stepwise fashion, one or two supports at a time with adequate training in how to use the device. You will want to keep notes on each intervention, also tracking time spent by SILO staff on this case, for outcome measure purposes.
Safe knives: Videos for learning how to safely use knives in kitchen.
https://nourishingjoy.com/safe-kid-friendly-knives-that-actually-cut/
Further Rationale for AT Recommendations:
Based on three home visits and review of SIS-A, here are some approaches to address safety, home maintenance, budgeting, and organization, along with some additional questions to think about going forward, that can be implemented by care team. I’ve prioritized the suggested items in order of importance, and would recommend implementing them one at a time in that order, trialing them for usefulness and acceptance by Raina (as you would for any AT).
- Laptop PC: Uses: (1) budgeting, links to bank and automated payments, etc.; (2) video chat with family and service providers; (3) instructional videos for cooking, cleaning, etc. Set up of pc and training in these uses.
- Basic Home Safety: Aerosol fire extinguisher, stove-alert, low-tech adaptations (as needed) in bathroom and kitchen. Training in what to do in an emergency (stove fire, power out, water leak, fire in building, etc.)
- Cleaning: Robo-vacuum and automated kitty litter box, laptop-based instructional videos for complex tasks that currently require human support (laundry? Dishes? Bathroom?).
- Kitchen: Need to think through challenges with cooking and try out low-tech tools that may help, along with introduction of instructional videos and live-chat instruction for basic cooking tasks (knife safety and fear of falls).
- Budgeting: Introduce a budgeting app and automatic bill paying on phone or preferably pc – along with training in how to keep track of finances (with reminders, etc.), in order to reduce the human supports she now uses to stay on budget.
- General Organization: Though I don’t know what specific problems Raina faces re organization, guessing that introducing appropriate phone-based reminder alerts and instructional resources (typically how-to sheets, slide shows, or videos) can go a long way towards helping her stay on track and get things done.
- Voice Assistant: A voice assistant can remind her to complete tasks (medications, chores, etc.).
Once the recommended AT is in place, and Raina knows how to use it, each of the areas listed above may be addressed collaboratively with Raina (and with her current human support team), and any change implemented on a trial basis, along with training in how to use any tool that is introduced into the home. Within each area, there are numerous AT tools and strategies that may help.
Photos:
Self-scoop litter box
Laptop
Echo show