At 88 years young, Natalie Delvaille of Santa Fe, New Mexico, cherishes her connections with loved ones and her community. Yet, not long ago, these cherished connections were becoming strained due to increasing vision and hearing loss. Every day tasks like reading an email or making a phone call felt overwhelming and she started to feel isolated. Natalie found herself “just coping” with her communication difficulties. The screens of her devices were becoming harder to read, and she lacked the knowledge and tools to adjust them to her needs. “It was becoming hard to read the screen, and I didn’t know how to make the screen more readable,” Natalie recalls. This made staying in touch with friends and family a constant struggle.
Then, one day Natalie received an email from iCanConnect, the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. iCanConnect is a national program with local contacts that provides free distance communication equipment and training to qualified individuals who have significant hearing and vision loss. Natalie applied to the program in her state and was accepted. Soon, her local iCanConnect representative met with her to discuss her distance communication needs and goals.
Based on her personalized assessment, iCanConnect provided Natalie with a smartphone and a desktop computer equipped with ZoomText, which is screen magnification software. Natalie also received training on how to use her new equipment. “I use my phone for calls, texts, and storing contacts,” Natalie explains. “For more in-depth correspondence, I use email on the computer.”
Beyond the equipment she received through iCanConnect, Natalie highlights the impact of the personalized training she receives. She says her trainers are “very helpful, pleasant, and knowledgeable” and she particularly appreciates their honesty and dedication.
The combination of the assistive technology and training Natalie received has transformed how she connects with her family, friends, and community. “It’s made things a lot easier,” she says. “iCanConnect is a wonderful program. I value the program’s flexibility and the personal touch it offers. The atmosphere of training is comfortable too. There’s no ‘Your time is up.’ It’s casual, friendly and helpful.”
Thanks to iCanConnect, Natalie continues to bridge distances, staying connected with the world on her own terms, one call, text, and email at a time.
