For hundreds of people like Arryn, who is 20 and lives in Stirling, owning an Alexa is life-changing. It gives him the independence to do the simple things most people take for granted. Like turning off the lights when he wants to go to sleep and switching on the TV without asking someone else to do it for him. Arryn has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and has just been awarded one of the new Joseph Patrick Trust (JPT) grants for smart home technology.
“My bedroom is like my own home”
Arryn said,
“Unless I am at college, playing Boccia or Powerchair football, my bedroom is like my own home, which I spend a fair bit of time in. Having the use of Alexa in my bedroom has really helped, where now I have the independence of being able to turn lights on and off, switch my TV on or off, change channels and games all by my voice.
“Alexa can even understand what I am saying when using my night-time ventilation! Also now my parents can ‘drop in’ on my device, allowing them to not just talk to me but actually see me as well – like a video call – which is great as there is no requirement for me to press any buttons as you would when using a mobile phone.”
The JPT is MDUK’s grant-giving arm, the aim of which is to promote independence and quality of life. It awards grants to adults and children with muscle-wasting conditions towards the cost of equipment not available through statutory services, including wheelchairs, scooters, and mobile arm supports, and used to provide grants for communications-based assistive technology, including devices such as Alexa.
The JPT meets four times a year to assess applications.