We’ve all seen the commercial. The helpless old lady lying on the floor calling for help. This is a prime fear for many confined to a wheelchair, but short of falling what happens when you’re stuck in bed, arms tangled in a mess of blankets, and you cannot so much scratch your nose, let alone reach the lifeline button?
Having been in such a situation, all on my own, I’ve found several ways to adapt. First, I got a voice-activated smartphone. While this is a great step and works immensely well most of the time, I often faced the challenge of having to keep the phone right at my side in the bed regardless of how near dead the battery was. To complicate matters further, the phone required a pass-code, and though I’d state the correct pass-code the phone would fail to recognize it, and lock completely after several tries, leaving me stranded and helpless.
Enter Google Home. Google Home is a voice activated “assistant” device that can be coupled with any number of devices, and can make any non-emergency outgoing calls for free (Note: Google Home cannot presently be used to call 911).
Similar to my phone, which I use an Android phone, the Google Home is instantly activate by my voice, and works with the contact list tied to my Google account. Being plugged in, I don’t have to worry about the battery life of the device, and the device does not require a pass-code in order to perform calls or other operations, making it optimal for nights in bed.
Google Home does require that the user set up the device via the Google Home app (available on iOS and Android devices). This device can be a Android tablet or iPad, as the Google Home does not require an Android phone. At $130 the Google Home may be a little pricey for some budgets, but for the peace of mind and ease I get with making phone calls from bed (especially when my caregivers don’t show up), I’ve found it to be a worthwhile investment.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding the Google Home or other accessibility tips, and I will do my best to answer them.
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