Assistive Technology Clinic (ATC)

Each year, the Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay-de-Montréal (IRGLM) supports thousands of patients in their rehabilitation process following an event that may have led to a disability. Therefore, actions as simple as using a light switch, a computer, or a phone can then become real challenges.

This is why the REA Foundation has funded the acquisition of new equipment for the Assistive Technology Clinic (ATC). This clinic supports a dozen IRGLM patients with disabilities each year, helping them relearn how to use everyday technological devices.

Whether it’s computers, phones, adapted mice, or smart home devices like specialized switches, the ATC plays a crucial role in improving access to everyday technology. Sophie Laplante, an occupational therapist at the Assistive Technology Clinic, explains:

“We strive to offer to our patients adapted solutions so they can regain their independence and feel equal to others in their daily activities.”

Thanks to the support of the REA Foundation, ATC has been able to acquire, for example, a MacBook and an iPad Pro of the latest generation, featuring advanced accessibility functions such as voice commands or eye-tracking control. A HomePod smart speaker was also added to allow individuals with limited mobility to control their home environment using their voice.

The Assistive Technology Clinic also allows patients to borrow equipment to test it before making a purchase. The team sometimes even visits patients’ homes to assess their needs and provide personalized solutions.

“A patient told me he found it amazing to be able to test a computer before purchasing it. As a person with a high-level spinal cord injury, he also had the chance to try a phone with adapted features and said it was the first time he had seen this kind of technology.

Another user was also able to reconnect with her family in her home country thanks to the adapted equipment made available to her.”

Sophie Laplante, Occupational Therapist at the Assistive Technology Clinic

Through these innovations, the REA Foundation and ATC provide patients with the opportunity to regain maximum independence by giving them access to the latest technological advancements in accessibility.

Photo credit : Elisa Gallot