With a radiant expression, Lori gestures towards the flowering plants, her eyes sparkling with joy and a sense of ownership evident in her gentle touch.
She’s developed a green thumb since discovering her love for gardening last summer, in part thanks to an assistive technology device known as an AeroGarden.
Assistive technology, like the AeroGarden, aims to support people in all aspects of their lives, including everyday activities like self-care, cooking, communicating with friends and family, and participating in hobbies.
In collaboration with the Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP) through the Michigan Disabilities Rights Coalition (MDRC), MOKA began to explore and implement assistive technology options for the people living in MOKA’s Graceland Home in the spring of 2023.
Employees working in the home and staff at MATP discussed the needs and hobbies of those living in the home before suggestions were made on which assistive technology might work best. To evaluate these suggestions, staff from MATP arranged a visit to the home where they engaged people living in the home and those who support them in a day of outdoor gardening, crafting, and cooking.
They experimented with assistive technology devices like ergonomic crayons and markers, extendable gardening tools, and sensory-friendly hammock chairs to enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of these activities.
“They tried out different devices, comparing and contrasting, to see which one works best for them,” says Jileesa Irwin, Outdoor Recreation Assistive Technology Specialist at MATP.
Among the initial additions to the home was the installation of the sensory-friendly hammock chair. While people living in the home frequently enjoy outdoor relaxation, Sarah, a person living in the home has embraced the soothing sway of the hammock. During moments of unease, she seeks solace on the back porch, finding comfort in the hammock’s gentle rocking motion.
MATP and Graceland employees also introduced assistive technology for gardening in the backyard. This included the installation of raised garden beds, vertical gardens, and ergonomic tools, all aimed at enhancing accessibility.
While the devices are not electronic, they expand access to hobbies that people living in the home may not have had before. The raised beds and vertical gardens enable people living in the home to tend to the garden without needing to kneel on the ground, while the ergonomic tools offer added comfort during gardening tasks.
Lori, a person living at the Graceland Home, took a keen interest in gardening and embraced the opportunity to connect with nature and her peers. Alongside Gwen Waller, MOKA Residential Support Staff, she has dedicated numerous hours to cultivating the garden. Among the home’s favorite foods to grow are lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and herbs.
While not all people living in the home actively participate in gardening, it does foster social bonding within the home. Once herbs are ready to be picked, they dry them and transfer them into shakers to be used when cooking. Moreover, they relish congregating around the kitchen table to experiment with new recipes incorporating the freshly harvested vegetables from the garden.
“It’s something that brings the people in the home together, and the more things you have that people can enjoy doing together is better for everyone,” says Abby Squires, Assistive Technology Specialist for Gaming and Crafting at MATP.
Once the outdoor gardening season ends, Lori begins using the AeroGarden indoors and allows her to continue growing vegetables, herbs, and her favorite, yellow flowers. Gwen notes that Lori’s independence has increased as a result of the AeroGarden. Previously, she relied upon employees in the home to remind her to water and fertilize the plants. Now she intuitively responds to the AeroGarden’s flashing lights, which signal the plants’ needs.
“The AeroGarden has increased Lori’s confidence a lot, to know that the garden was hers to take care of,” says Gwen.
Graceland Home Supervisor Christine Grant credits her team with the successful implementation of assistive technology in the home, sharing, “They stepped up and they believed that it was okay to try new things.”
To enhance support for the people using assistive technology, employees are actively engaged in learning alongside them. This collaborative approach ensures that people in the home receive comprehensive support and empowers employees to confidently assist them in using the assistive technology to its full potential.
With the aid of a federally funded grant, MATP can provide assistive technology devices to the home through open-ended loans, allowing the home to retain the devices for as long as they are needed. The primary objective of the program is to facilitate greater accessibility to assistive technology for people with disabilities and older adults.
Gwen and other employees in the home are excited to see where technology can take them. “It has given us new ideas as to how we can use it to make activities more accessible so people in the home can live a life where they continue to grow.”
Equipped with an array of over 1600 assistive technology devices, MATP and MOKA remain committed to expanding the impact of assistive technology at the Graceland Home. Plans are underway to introduce new technologies, such as communication devices and cooking aids, to address the evolving needs of the residents.
“There is a lot of research that is available and supported that highlights how assistive technology does make a significant impact for people with disabilities, and it has been identified as a mitigation technique and a tool to make living at home safer,” says MATP Co-Director Kelly Blackwell.
Story by Hannah Kater. Photos by Lara Parent.