Andrew's Story
Youngcare met Andrew when he applied for a Youngcare At Home Care Grant. Andrew lives every day with Cerebral Palsy, unable to communicate, relying heavily on others to interpret and make decisions for him.
Andrew suffers from Cerebral Palsy and is unable to communicate independently. He relies on his support network to interpret his needs and make decisions on his behalf. As a successful applicant of the Youngcare At Home Care Grants program, Andrew has been able to purchase a speech generating device, allowing him to express his wants and needs regarding his lifestyles choices, comfort, support and care.
In Andrew’s words:
My name is Andrew and I’m in my 30s. I live in Toowoomba and access the Cerebral Palsy League Adult Day Service.
1. What difference has this device made for you?
The biggest difference this device has made in my life is being able to communicate more freely with my friends, family, and carers.
2. What things can you communicate now that you couldn’t communicate before?
Using my device, I am able to clearly communicate my needs to my carers at a touch of a button. I am also able to use my device to give staff instructions on how to support me. I can also construct cohesive sentences to communicate with my friends, family and carers without having to rely on someone interpreting my signals and facial expressions.
3. Has this device made your life easier?
Yes! I can talk to anyone, any time I want without having to wait for a family member, friend or carer to explain my request. It’s great!
4. Is there anything else positive about your new device?Apart from being able to communicate, this device has allowed me to develop my skills in computer use.