For 82-year-old Pearl Riley of Columbia, South Carolina, the gradual loss of her vision and hearing meant that staying in touch with loved ones became increasingly difficult. Pearl had a phone, but because it lacked voice features like Siri, it became harder, and eventually impossible, to use. Pearl found the connection she had to her friends and family started to fray when she could no longer make phone calls easily, and that led her to feeling isolated.
During a visit to the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, a counselor recognized her distance communication challenges and told Pearl about iCanConnect, also known as the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. iCanConnect provides free distance communication equipment and free one-on-one training to qualifying individuals with significant combined hearing and vision loss, helping them stay connected with their loved ones, community, and the world.
After Pearl applied and was accepted into the program, her local iCanConnect contact met with her for a personal assessment to review her distance communications needs and goals. Through iCanConnect, Pearl received an iPhone and an iPad, along with training to help her master her new technology.
For Pearl, the training was the key piece of the puzzle. “Yes, the training was very helpful,” Pearl recalls, noting that the one-on-one training completely changed her relationship with technology. Today, she uses her iPhone to comfortably make phone calls and manage her contacts. Her iPad opened up even more possibilities, allowing her to enjoy face-to-face video calls with family and friends.
The ongoing support Pearl receives from the iCanConnect team has given her peace of mind. “I call my trainer if there’s an issue, and I know they will help me when I need it in a timely way,” Pearl says. She also appreciates the relationships she’s built with the program’s staff. “I like the trainers. They call to check in and ask how everything’s going with my technology.”
Thanks to the equipment and the training she received through iCanConnect, Pearl says her world has opened back up. She no longer struggles to reach out to her loved ones and friends. “I’m able to use the phone more readily than before,” Pearl says. “I really appreciate the connection. I recommend iCanConnect to others facing similar sensory loss. It’s life-changing!”
