For anyone that has experienced active duty, the transition back to regular life can be difficult. Unfortunately, this transition is worsened by disabilities that affect courageous veterans. Caring for a veteran in the process of transitioning back to regular life can be a full-time job in itself. Obviously, the goal is to jumpstart the process of finding independence for disabled veterans through assistance.
Dealing with a new type of autonomy is no easy task. It could be scary and exciting sometimes. Finding privacy as a disabled veteran is something you’ll long for eventually. The process can take some time. However, with the newest technology and smart home gadgets, the process can be sped up. In this article, we will discuss some of the best tools we’ve compiled. These tools are what will help veterans complete their transition to full independence in a smart home environment.
Disabled Veterans Assistance with Technology Is Necessary
A lot of people believe that smart home technology is a luxury. They associate their beliefs about smart home gadgets with luxury features and tools. They think along the lines of digital walls or automated lighting or a smart music player. However, this is far from the case.
Instead, smart home features today operate as something far from luxuries. Today’s best smart home features are helpful and practical solutions to relevant tasks. For example, smart alarms, smart lighting, and automatic motion sensor gadgets are highly relevant.
These modern-day smart home gadgets are relatively inexpensive and quite simple to set up and operate. Plus, with these upgrades, life will be a lot easier for disabled veterans. So, if you have anyone special to you dealing with disabilities, consider smart home tools. They are great for disabled veterans because they get tasks done with ease and swiftness.
Also, Smart Lights and thermostats are effective tools as well. They are helpful in giving disabled veterans assistance with controlling switches or adjusting thermostats. As a bonus, they seamlessly integrate with other parts of a smart home system, giving you full access to all your gadgets from your smartphone or tablet.
Voice-enabled smart assistants make simple tasks simpler
Controlling your smart home with apps is a great experience. But an even better experience is having voice-activated functions. The convenience associated with voice assistants is second to none. The best part about voice control is accessibility. You can control your smart home from your Smartphone, a smart speaker, your tablet, or even your remote control. With control, you have access to a wide variety of tasks.
For example, you can check for the person at your door or control the lights in your home. You could also automate your morning routine through voice controls. The possibilities are endless and keep growing continuously.
Even when an emergency occurs, you could receive a first-response experience through voice controls. With voice assistants, enabling always-on mode will help disabled veterans find some peace of mind and convenience in their lives.
The Presence of Smart Cameras Help with the Safety of Disabled Veterans
Veterans are a lot more comfortable with living alone when they are fully assured of their security and safety. Living as a disabled veteran, that assurance of security is twice as important. The home security systems available today are great for anyone to have. Beyond just assisting disabled veterans, home security systems are also helpful in developing an extra range of awareness. Smart home gadgets like WiFi-enabled smart cameras or video-recording doorbells are too effective to ignore.
Smart cameras today are extremely easy to set up and install. Disabled veterans now have access to smart gadgets that help them view outside their homes. These cameras aren’t only for watching out for danger. Instead, they are useful for tracking the arrival of deliveries, checking for visitors, and avoiding traveling to the doorstep unnecessarily.
Smart cameras are also great due to the presence of night vision which helps to track motion. This is a great tool to upgrade the security of your home.
Smart cameras also give disabled veterans assistance with the presence of a WiFi camera inside the house. This increases your safety by a notch. With these cameras, your home security will be much better in situations where you aren’t around to care for them. They are also a great way to give space to a disabled loved one while checking up on them through the cameras. You could watch them progress towards independence and help them while they recover from their injuries or improve their movement.
Also, if something occurs, you have a platform to give a quick reaction and provide medical assistance as soon as possible if needed.
Here are some smart home modifications for disabled veterans to help with PTSD:
How to avoid noise-triggered PTSD episodes:
- Purchase and install a white noise machine or a virtual sound machine to block any sounds or noises capable of triggering flashbacks.
- Also, purchasing a noise-absorbing wall panel will help prevent and suppress any sudden sounds capable of triggering a PTSD episode.
- Consequently, ensure all the surfaces are secured and rigid. Avoid any items that will hang loosely like ceiling fans or chandeliers. Install and mount objects that are securely fastened and affixed to a platform. This will help in preventing any flashbacks and provide assistance to a disabled veteran.
- Furthermore, make sure you avoid any hard materials for your flooring. Use a smooth and soft rug or carpet, and ensure everywhere has a floor soft enough to cushion falls or objects. This will help a disabled veteran move fluidly at home.
How to prevent any episodes triggered by light:
- Make sure blinds and shutters are always present to cover openings to light sources. Some special types of shutters called plantation shutters even offer extra levels of security. This will also prevent flashbacks which is a great innovation.
- In addition, install a central heating system instead of using ceiling fans. This is due to the way ceiling fans can reflect light unexpectedly in a manner reminiscent of a flashback.
- Moreover, use blackout curtains around the house to avoid any sudden flashes of light that may trigger flashbacks.
- Additionally, ensure you avoid placing and hanging any mirrors around the house. If a mirror is necessary, ensure all nearby windows or reflections of windows are fully covered. Also, provide some protection from reflections on monitors and television. If you have a tv or monitor, ensure they are matte screens. On that note, avoid any glossy items and stick to matte or darker colors that will absorb fewer reflections.
Assistive Technology for Amputated and Disabled Veterans
- Assistive technology for computers: Using speech recognition software, bigger keyboards, one-handed keyboards, trackballs, touchpads for foot operation as well as head pointing technology systems. These are all suitable alternatives to the traditional computer hardware we have available today. This helps users with amputations.
- Assistive technology for lifting items: For lifting heavy items, technology has improved to enable the use of portable lifting equipment. For example, a hoist, a lifting table, or a tailgate lift.
- Assistive Utensils: There are some specially designed utensils that are good for disabled veterans. They provide the necessary assistance to eating at the best angles.
- Assistive Gripping Tools: Daily tasks are made a lot easier with tools like grasping cuffs or orthoses which help you perform tasks safely and comfortably.
- Dressing Tree: A dressing tree is an item that holds a system of hooks that are helpful for dressing up for the day.
- Mouth Stick: A mouth stick is a convenient tool that helps with disabled veteran’s assistance. With this, they can easily activate switches and help them press buttons and operate keyboards.
- Universal cuff: This is a helpful and convenient item that helps disabled veterans slip around their amputated limb. It also helps them hold utensils and gives them independence during meals.
- Assistive Speaker Phone Telephones: These are convenient tools that help with telephone use and assist disabled veterans.
Some other useful smart tools to help with migraines
- Electrical Stimulation tools: There are some great tools that help ease the difficulty of suffering migraines. These tools help you calm your nerves and stimulate your nerves by giving electric currents. There is a type of headband by Cefaly that is useful for stimulations and helps ease any migraines.
- Motion sensor lights: These are lights that can dimmer the way a disabled veteran experiences migraines. The amount of light exposed to someone dealing with migraines will be greatly reduced with these lights and successfully prevent migraines.
Now, with a complete and dedicated service for your country, veterans deserve the best possible treatment and assistance. Even soldiers on active duty have to gain some assistance to keep functioning. With disabled veteran assistance, we now have access to more ways to help the soldiers that have fully executed their duty. Now, new and simple modification methods alongside adaptive technology are what help active servicemen and women. This helps them live fulfilling lives. There are many organizations today that are dedicated to helping these disabled veterans. With the advent of smart gadgets and technology, life is becoming much better for disabled veterans.
