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THE
ISSUE AT HAND:
State and/or federal legislation should be implemented which require health facilities to send in a social worker (or other qualified professional) to visit competent seriously injured/disabled, hospitalized in-patients or nursing home residents, with the intent of clarifying that:
1. assistive technology input/output devices replace standard keyboards, monitors, or mice so that people with quadriplegia, blindness, or other serious conditions can effectively operate a computer
2. aid in obtaining and setting up of these computers and devices will be provided; thus cutting through the red tape
3. a bed top is sufficient space for an adaptive assembly
4. an adapted computer with access to the Internet (which could include attending online university courses and/or becoming employable) can improve life considerably
5. organizations exist to help provide computers; adaptive devices; and training.
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"This
could be you"
Oh,
what a beautiful day, the sun is shining, I just bought a house, and
I’m going to have a son. All right, across the street is an
ice-cream stand, I think I’ll cross the street and get a nice cool
ice cream cone. There the sign says “walk” I’ll just move over
there and, “sceeeeeeeeech”, “thump”, “craaash!
……………………..Oh, man how did I get here? There is a
bright light over me, and people standing around wearing face masks.
Man, I feel like I’m going tooo paaass out…………..
OOOOOOOHH,
my head feels horrible; I think I’m lying down in a cold bed. I
hear a TV playing just to the right of me. I think I’ll just turn
my head and… Ohh no, I can’t turn my head! As a matter of fact
my arms and legs won’t move either! … I hear someone talking.
“This poor man is now a complete C2 quadriplegic, he can’t move
any part of his body except for his eyes and mouth, and must remain
on a ventilator indefinitely. He was hit by a drunk driver, and has
many broken bones and lacerations, but he can’t feel them. He’s
very lucky to be alive.”
LUCKY, LUCKY; maan my life is over. I can’t do anything, I just
want to die. God, please take me, I am not worth a damn to anyone. I’m
a total invalid, please help me die.
…It’s been days now, and I can’t even turn my head to watch
TV, who’s going to want me around? I hear someone knocking at my
door, maybe it’s a priest coming to read me my last rights. “Mr.
Johnson, may I spend a little time with you to explain the benefits
of CR therapy” …Therapy!? What the hell makes you think any kind
of therapy is going to help me now?
What is CR Therapy anyway? “Well, Mr. Johnson, CR Therapy stands
for ‘Computer Response Therapy.’” Oh no you don’t, I don’t
want a computer hooked up to me so the doctor can keep me alive, I
just want to be left to die. “Mr. Johnson with ‘Computer
Response Therapy’ a computer is adapted so you alone can operate
it, just as anyone would operate a desktop PC.”
HELLO lady, didn’t they tell you, I can only move my eyes and
mouth and can barely talk, how the hell can I operate a computer, I
am fresh out of telepathy. “That’s just the point, with the use
of your eyes you can select letters with an eye tracking keyboard,
essentially doing what you would normally do with a keyboard. And
with your mouth you could use several devices to move the pointer
– replacing a mouse.”
“Mr. Johnson, you could do an unlimited number things on the
Internet and…” Yeah, yeah, I know all about the Internet. What
makes you think I could compete with a world full of able bodied
users? “Mr. Johnson, there are millions of disabled users all over
the world, right now: blind, quadriplegics, amputees, those with MS;
MD; people with all kinds of impairments. Through the use assistive
technology devices they achieved an unparalleled equality.
Okay, it sounds like something better to do than staring at the
ceiling for days at a time, but who’s going to help me organize
all the details, I’m not exactly in the position to cut through a
mountain of red tape; which I’m sure will be involved. “Mr.
Johnson, that’s what I‘m here for, my job is to inform qualified
individuals about the availability of adapted computers; coordinate
the activities of a myriad of organizations and businesses; and
handle all extraneous details.
Okay lady, who’s going to pay for all this? “Mr. Johnson, this
service is based on your ability to pay. How much you can afford is
factored on a sliding-scale: if you can only pay a fraction of the
cost, there are a number of sources that may be willing to fill the
void, and in some cases the cost will be paid in full.”
Who’s going to teach me how to use this stuff? “In many cases,
Mr. Johnson, the supplier of the devices will provide training, in
any case we can always find someone to help you get acquainted with
the devices ….”
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