Assistive Technology (AT) is only as beneficial as someone’s willingness and ability to use it. That’s why we keep thinking of ways to help individuals and their caregivers, both professional and unpaid, successfully operate and maintain the devices they can greatly benefit from. Our latest effort is to create the position of a full-time Assistive Technology Training Specialist. Luckily, we had someone already on staff ready and willing to run with it. Courtney Ness Fuchs is a nine-year veteran at ND Assistive and a certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP). She’s seen first-hand the wonderful benefits assistive technology can bring, “We want every person in the state to know the amazing impact assistive technology can have on their life or that of someone they love,” she said.
Her experience with ND Assistive and her love of learning and teaching make her the perfect fit for this position,
“You have to be constantly learning in order to keep up with the rapidly changing world of AT. I love to help others grow and have tutored/trained/taught throughout my life,” she said.
Courtney is in the process of building a series of webinars on some of the most needed AT devices based on recent requests at our demonstration centers. Starting in September, she’ll hold these webinars monthly on the first Wednesday at noon Central Time. She’s anticipating the webinars will last about 30-minutes with time for questions. The webinars will also be recorded and available on our website.
ND Assistive Training Specialist, Courtney Ness Fuchs
Here are the topics for the first six months:
- Wednesday, September 7: Smart Home Basics
- Wednesday, October 5: Smart Home Routines
- Wednesday, November 2: Assistive Technology for Wandering
- Wednesday, December 7: Assistive Technology for Remote Monitoring
- Wednesday, January 4: Assistive Technology for Medication Management
- Wednesday, February 1: Assistive Technology for Sensory Needs
Click here to register for ND Assistive’s Webinar Series: https://bit.ly/WebinarRegistrationNDAssistive
In addition, Courtney will lead the production of a robust library of how-to videos that will also be available on our website. These will be short, step-by-step, and easy-to-understand videos that encompass the set-up, use, and troubleshooting of many common AT devices. “Professionals will benefit from having a trusted, local source where they can access relevant, easy-to-understand resources about AT devices and services 24/7,” Courtney said.
Assistive Technology continues to emerge as a real solution to many of the issues facing North Dakotans who are aging and/or living with disabilities. At ND Assistive, we are committed to growing capacity across the state so everyone has access to AT when they need it.