Pippa

Pippa is a 63 year-old woman who takes care of her 83 year-old mother who has COPD, which affects her mobility. Pippa’s mother uses oxygen 24 hours, uses a walker, has memory loss and has a visual and hearing impairment. Her mother lives in an assistive living facility. Pippa is an OT, and her sister is a nurse.

Needs Current Approaches Used by Pippa Alternative Solutions Possible Future Solutions
1. Pippa needs assistance helping her mom navigate through life with poor vision. Her vision has declined to the point where no technology can help her. This causes problems because she is on portable oxygen 24/7, and she cannot read the dial on it so she does not know when her oxygen levels are low. Assisted living reads the dial on her portable oxygen for her, so that she knows when to change it.

Pippa’s mother tried using magnifying devices, which allowed her to see pictures for a little while. This stopped working when her sight deteriorated until she could not see anymore.

2. Pippa needs help changing her mother’s oxygen tank in the assisted living facility. Assistive living aids do not do this for Pippa’s mother, so it is another thing that Pippa needs to do.  
3. Pippa needs more people supporting her mother in maintaining a level of independence in assisted living, which is difficult with her mother’s health problems. The lack of support for her mother will lead to her mother moving to home care. Her mother’s family (ex: Pippa) is able to assist with care to provide a higher level of care. Pippa has contact with her mother every day through phone or in person.
4. Pippa needs help managing her mom; she does the finances, takes care of assistive technologies, books appointments, and keeps track of medications. This is time consuming and sometimes she forgets things. Pippa is not working fulltime, only part time so that she has more time for her mother.
5. Pippa needs help dealing with the overwhelming feeling from all the new technology. She wishes there was a website to offer guidance and resources for those faced with challenges in learning how to use new technologies.