Jonathan

Jonathan is a man in his sixties who has been caring for his brother for 30 years full time. They live together. His brother lives with cerebral palsy and uses a motorized wheelchair with cephalic control to move.

Needs Current Approaches Alternate Suggestions

 

What could be created?
1. Jonathan would like to have a communication device that better meets the needs of his brother.
The problems include: making sure that it is charged when it is needed despite it’s infrequent use, the installation and use of the device are long and less effective than going through Jonathan, the programming of the messages is complex, the delays for repairs are long.
Jonathan decodes the messages passed by his friend with his eyes and transmits the information to the interlocutors.
Jonathan’s brother uses a phone with preprogrammed numbers and messages as well as e-mails.
2. Jonathan would like a hydraulic bath lift that can be used despite his brother’s low weight and which is also comfortable. Jonathan uses his knee to add weight to the hydraulic lift so that it goes down.
Jonathan has padded the bath fabric to make it more comfortable.
3. Jonathan would like technical help that is simpler and less cumbersome than the hoist for transfers. Jonathan picks up his brother to make the transfers.
4. Jonathan would like driving the motorized wheelchair to be safer. The problems encountered are: the false movements of the joystick change the trajectory, being hit by others in public places, difficulty synchronizing with the street lights.

 

 

5. Jonathan would like to travel with his brother by plane easily.
The problems encountered are: the motorized wheelchair must be placed in a locker, the wheelchair is often broken during transport, being comfortable in the plane is difficult.
Jonathan sticks a screwdriver to the wheelchair to fix it while leaving the plane.
Jonathan uses a transfer chair once the power chair is set, but it is not optimal.
6. Jonathan would like his brother to have a simple and easy-to-use environmental control system. They have radios and TVs that turn off after some time of not being used.
7. Jonathan would like ways to facilitate periods of hospitalization.
The problems encountered are: Jonathan must train the staff to the peculiarities of his brother’s needs, Jonathan must be present to decode the nonverbals of his brother, the necessary accessible equipment is not available.
 8. Jonathan would like to be better informed about what they are entitled to in terms of technical aids.
 9. Jonathan would like to know and have access to psychological support resources to share and have support on his caregiver lifestyle.