If an accident happened one day and we could only stay in bed, unable to go anywhere, how would our lives go on?
Life Bedridden with Disability
I saw a patient with a high-level spinal cord injury on a home visit this month. Since an accident at 27, he can only move above the shoulders. Turning over, eating, bathing, and going to the toilet all require help from others. His life has become permanently tethered to his bed.
I expected to meet someone depressed and unhappy, but to my surprise, he was funny, interesting, and always smiling.
The Secret Weapon for Connecting with the World
Then I learned he had an amazing secret weapon, an “infrared mouse”—what we usually call an eye-tracking computer. It lets him play games, video chat, make friends, and figure out what resources he can apply for. The internet is like a new world that has completely opened things up for him.
Now, the home care nurses all get “Good morning” messages from him. Behind every greeting is a warm joy.
The Wonderful Help of Assistive Tech in Taiwan
I’m lucky I got to see a case like this. We’re very fortunate in Taiwan. There’s the Icebreaker Association helping them connect with society through technology, as well as comprehensive government subsidies for disability assistive devices.
Listening to the assistive technology center share later, I also learned about MUVE, a non-profit association teaching children with disabilities how to use technology to communicate, letting them say “I love you” to their parents for the very first time. MUVE is raising funds to provide classes for these kids. You can set up a recurring monthly donation. Why not contribute what you can to make these children’s futures a little different!
