December 19, 2024 • 10 mins
Community Spotlight 14 - the HDI CATS Center: Gabby, a student in the College and Career Studies program at UK, interviews Joan Hager at the HDI CATS Center, whose mission is to ensure Kentuckians with disabilities have access to assistive technology.
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Episode Transcript
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ERIN (00:04):
Hello and welcome to the
community spotlight podcast.
Each episode highlights
something interesting in the
community of Lexington or
surrounding areas of Kentucky.
The podcast was started by
students in the College and
Career Studies program at the
University of Kentucky. Thanks
(00:24):
for listening. In this episode
of community spotlight, we will
hear from Gabby, a student in
the College and Career Studies
program at UK. Gabby sat down to
interview Joan Hager, who works
at the HDI CATS Center, whose
mission is to ensure Kentuckians
(00:44):
with disabilities have access to
assistive technology. Thank you
for listening.
GABBY (00:51):
Hi. My name is Gabby, and
today I will be interviewing
Joan Hagar. So what does the HDI
CATS stand for?
JOAN (01:08):
So HDI CATS stands for the
Human Development Institute
Center for Assistive Technology
Services.
GABBY (01:17):
Okay. Can you explain
what assistive technology means?
JOAN (01:24):
So Assistive technology is
any kind of item, device,
equipment that can assist
someone to make their life
easier, to help them perform
tasks that they maybe otherwise
would not be able to perform. So
even though the word technology
is in it, it could actually be
(01:45):
something as simple as the like
a rubber pencil grip for your
pencil. That's considered
assistive technology, because it
assists with helping you hold
your pencil. But it could also
mean an eye gaze device that
helps you to communicate by
using your eyes to do tracking
on a computer. So pretty much
anything, Durable Medical is
(02:07):
considered assistive technology.
Wheelchair is an assistive
technology, so.
GABBY (02:13):
Okay. I borrowed
equipment from you all in the
past. After my surgery, we had
it for about a year and then
gave it back to you all. It was
helpful to get me around town
(02:36):
while I was recovering from my
surgery. Can you explain to the
listeners how the lending
library works?
JOAN (02:52):
Yes, so the lending
library works basically like a
regular library. We have a
assortment of devices and
equipment that people are able
to borrow and trial at their
house or on their own, and then
they can return it in 30 days
when they're finished. That's
like you would do a library
(03:13):
book. So we try to have as many
different types of assistive
technology available for as many
disabilities as we can. So
that's probably what you did, is
borrowed the wheelchair and then
returned it so that someone else
could borrow it.
GABBY (03:31):
When we were done with
that.
JOAN (03:33):
That's right.
GABBY (03:34):
What kinds of things do
people most often ask to borrow
or use?
JOAN (03:42):
So I would say, as part of
the lending library, the things
that are borrowed the most would
be a pediatric equipment, so
mobility devices that are used
in therapy with children, so
gate trainers and standers and
sit to stands, those kind of
(04:02):
things. On the other side of
things, I would say that a lot
of people want to borrow tablets
so that they can use the tablets
for using augmentative
communication apps and that kind
of thing. That would be the most
for borrowing things. But now
for for use, we have another
(04:25):
program that's called the carrot
program, and that's where we
accept used DME, durable
medical, and then we give that
away. And for that, the most
requested item is usually
wheelchairs, shower chairs and
roll air walkers. So those are
(04:46):
the three items that are the
most requested.
GABBY (04:50):
Is there anything unusual
people have ever had you about
or sent in for a donation?
JOAN (05:01):
So let me think here,
probably one of the most unusual
things that we were donated was
back about a year ago, someone
donated a tilt table. So a tilt
table, for anybody that doesn't
know, is kind of like a long
stretcher type table that you
strap down, and it can actually
(05:23):
go all the way up, but it can
also go,
GABBY (05:25):
Wow.
JOAN (05:25):
Upside down.
GABBY (05:27):
I never knew that myself,
so.
JOAN (05:30):
That was an unusual thing.
And I'd never had anybody
request something like that. But
that was probably the most
unusual thing that was, you
know, donated. And then I'm
trying to think if there's
something unusual, people have
requested, not really anything.
Most people are requesting
walkers, wheelchairs, canes, um,
(05:51):
you know, those kind of things.
I don't know that I've ever had
anything really unusual
requested.
GABBY (05:57):
Okay, some people
listening might have equipment
that they are no longer using
and would want to donate. What
types of items do you take for
donations?
JOAN (06:16):
So we take durable medical
as donations, so that we would
accept shower chairs, tub
benches, wheelchairs, walkers,
canes, bedside commodes. But we
would also take gate belts and
cushions and reachers and pretty
(06:37):
much anything you can think of
that would be, you know, durable
medical type, assistive
technology. We would take that.
At our organization, we do not
take hospital beds or stair
lifts just for the fact that
they're so large and we don't
have a place to store them.
Yeah, and then. And we also
(06:58):
don't take disposable so we
don't take medical supplies, and
we don't take, you know, we
don't take, like, chucks or
adult underwear and those kind
of things. We don't take those
and it's mostly just because we
don't have the space to store
those things, and we don't get a
lot of requests. So those are
(07:19):
the items that we I mean, we've
taken a lot of unusual things,
just, you know, humidifier. I
mean, I just had someone ask for
a humidifier. So, you know, I
would take a humidifier as that
could help assist someone.
GABBY (07:33):
And and you did say you
all take braces.
JOAN (07:36):
So
Yes, we will take some braces.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
GABBY (07:40):
Like I didn't know if I
should put that on here.
JOAN (07:43):
Yeah absolutely.
GABBY (07:44):
So I just wanted to ask
that, good. I know some people
might be like, Oh, okay. All
good.
JOAN (07:49):
Yeah
GABBY (07:51):
Okay, uh, last question
for you. Some people listening
might need to borrow a piece of
medical equipment or something
after a surgery or injury. What
kind of equipment do you all
(08:14):
usually have and what is the
best way for them to content
you?
JOAN (08:24):
As far as the equipment
that we have available, you can
almost always get a wheelchair
or a walker or a cane, those
kind of things, cushions, those
kind of things we usually have,
those. I usually have a wait
list for anything that is used
for bathing so a shower chair,
shower bench, that may not be as
(08:45):
easily accessible through our
center, but we can always
connect people with other
centers across the state that
may have things that they need,
and then the best way to contact
us is our phone number. We have
a website, but it might be
easier to explain the website
when someone calls in, but we do
have a statewide locator website
(09:07):
where people can go on and see
what we have available, and can
actually request those items. So
that's the, but the best way
would be our phone number, you
can call and ask what you need,
or give us some idea of the
things that you're wanting to
do, and we can help assist you
with finding the right device to
help you.
GABBY (09:26):
Okay.
JOAN (09:26):
So, our office phone is
859-218-7979.
GABBY (09:32):
Okay.
JOAN (09:33):
And we are located at 2358
Nicholasville Road, and we are
suite 180. We are actually in
Malibu Heights Shopping Plaza,
which is right off Nicholasville
Road, so that we can, and we're
here Tuesday through Friday,
9:00 to 4:30.
GABBY (09:50):
Okay, and do you all like
have a work email by chance or
no?
JOAN (09:58):
hdicats@gmail.com
GABBY (09:59):
Okay. Well, thank you,
Joan, I think that's all of the
questions that I have.
JOAN (10:07):
Thank you, and you're
very welcome. Thank you.
ERIN (10:14):
This has been community
spotlight. If you are interested
in being interviewed for the
show, please reach out and let
us know, and as always, thanks
for listening.
Hello and welcome to the
community spotlight podcast.
Each episode highlights
something interesting in the
community of Lexington or
surrounding areas of Kentucky.
The podcast was started by
students in the College and
Career Studies program at the
University of Kentucky. Thanks
(00:24):
for listening. In this episode
of community spotlight, we will
hear from Gabby, a student in
the College and Career Studies
program at UK. Gabby sat down to
interview Joan Hager, who works
at the HDI CATS Center, whose
mission is to ensure Kentuckians
(00:44):
with disabilities have access to
assistive technology. Thank you
for listening.
GABBY (00:51):
Hi. My name is Gabby, and
today I will be interviewing
Joan Hagar. So what does the HDI
CATS stand for?
JOAN (01:08):
So HDI CATS stands for the
Human Development Institute
Center for Assistive Technology
Services.
GABBY (01:17):
Okay. Can you explain
what assistive technology means?
JOAN (01:24):
So Assistive technology is
any kind of item, device,
equipment that can assist
someone to make their life
easier, to help them perform
tasks that they maybe otherwise
would not be able to perform. So
even though the word technology
is in it, it could actually be
(01:45):
something as simple as the like
a rubber pencil grip for your
pencil. That's considered
assistive technology, because it
assists with helping you hold
your pencil. But it could also
mean an eye gaze device that
helps you to communicate by
using your eyes to do tracking
on a computer. So pretty much
anything, Durable Medical is
(02:07):
considered assistive technology.
Wheelchair is an assistive
technology, so.
GABBY (02:13):
Okay. I borrowed
equipment from you all in the
past. After my surgery, we had
it for about a year and then
gave it back to you all. It was
helpful to get me around town
(02:36):
while I was recovering from my
surgery. Can you explain to the
listeners how the lending
library works?
JOAN (02:52):
Yes, so the lending
library works basically like a
regular library. We have a
assortment of devices and
equipment that people are able
to borrow and trial at their
house or on their own, and then
they can return it in 30 days
when they're finished. That's
like you would do a library
(03:13):
book. So we try to have as many
different types of assistive
technology available for as many
disabilities as we can. So
that's probably what you did, is
borrowed the wheelchair and then
returned it so that someone else
could borrow it.
GABBY (03:31):
When we were done with
that.
JOAN (03:33):
That's right.
GABBY (03:34):
What kinds of things do
people most often ask to borrow
or use?
JOAN (03:42):
So I would say, as part of
the lending library, the things
that are borrowed the most would
be a pediatric equipment, so
mobility devices that are used
in therapy with children, so
gate trainers and standers and
sit to stands, those kind of
(04:02):
things. On the other side of
things, I would say that a lot
of people want to borrow tablets
so that they can use the tablets
for using augmentative
communication apps and that kind
of thing. That would be the most
for borrowing things. But now
for for use, we have another
(04:25):
program that's called the carrot
program, and that's where we
accept used DME, durable
medical, and then we give that
away. And for that, the most
requested item is usually
wheelchairs, shower chairs and
roll air walkers. So those are
(04:46):
the three items that are the
most requested.
GABBY (04:50):
Is there anything unusual
people have ever had you about
or sent in for a donation?
JOAN (05:01):
So let me think here,
probably one of the most unusual
things that we were donated was
back about a year ago, someone
donated a tilt table. So a tilt
table, for anybody that doesn't
know, is kind of like a long
stretcher type table that you
strap down, and it can actually
(05:23):
go all the way up, but it can
also go,
GABBY (05:25):
Wow.
JOAN (05:25):
Upside down.
GABBY (05:27):
I never knew that myself,
so.
JOAN (05:30):
That was an unusual thing.
And I'd never had anybody
request something like that. But
that was probably the most
unusual thing that was, you
know, donated. And then I'm
trying to think if there's
something unusual, people have
requested, not really anything.
Most people are requesting
walkers, wheelchairs, canes, um,
(05:51):
you know, those kind of things.
I don't know that I've ever had
anything really unusual
requested.
GABBY (05:57):
Okay, some people
listening might have equipment
that they are no longer using
and would want to donate. What
types of items do you take for
donations?
JOAN (06:16):
So we take durable medical
as donations, so that we would
accept shower chairs, tub
benches, wheelchairs, walkers,
canes, bedside commodes. But we
would also take gate belts and
cushions and reachers and pretty
(06:37):
much anything you can think of
that would be, you know, durable
medical type, assistive
technology. We would take that.
At our organization, we do not
take hospital beds or stair
lifts just for the fact that
they're so large and we don't
have a place to store them.
Yeah, and then. And we also
(06:58):
don't take disposable so we
don't take medical supplies, and
we don't take, you know, we
don't take, like, chucks or
adult underwear and those kind
of things. We don't take those
and it's mostly just because we
don't have the space to store
those things, and we don't get a
lot of requests. So those are
(07:19):
the items that we I mean, we've
taken a lot of unusual things,
just, you know, humidifier. I
mean, I just had someone ask for
a humidifier. So, you know, I
would take a humidifier as that
could help assist someone.
GABBY (07:33):
And and you did say you
all take braces.
JOAN (07:36):
So
Yes, we will take some braces.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
GABBY (07:40):
Like I didn't know if I
should put that on here.
JOAN (07:43):
Yeah absolutely.
GABBY (07:44):
So I just wanted to ask
that, good. I know some people
might be like, Oh, okay. All
good.
JOAN (07:49):
Yeah
GABBY (07:51):
Okay, uh, last question
for you. Some people listening
might need to borrow a piece of
medical equipment or something
after a surgery or injury. What
kind of equipment do you all
(08:14):
usually have and what is the
best way for them to content
you?
JOAN (08:24):
As far as the equipment
that we have available, you can
almost always get a wheelchair
or a walker or a cane, those
kind of things, cushions, those
kind of things we usually have,
those. I usually have a wait
list for anything that is used
for bathing so a shower chair,
shower bench, that may not be as
(08:45):
easily accessible through our
center, but we can always
connect people with other
centers across the state that
may have things that they need,
and then the best way to contact
us is our phone number. We have
a website, but it might be
easier to explain the website
when someone calls in, but we do
have a statewide locator website
(09:07):
where people can go on and see
what we have available, and can
actually request those items. So
that's the, but the best way
would be our phone number, you
can call and ask what you need,
or give us some idea of the
things that you're wanting to
do, and we can help assist you
with finding the right device to
help you.
GABBY (09:26):
Okay.
JOAN (09:26):
So, our office phone is
859-218-7979.
GABBY (09:32):
Okay.
JOAN (09:33):
And we are located at 2358
Nicholasville Road, and we are
suite 180. We are actually in
Malibu Heights Shopping Plaza,
which is right off Nicholasville
Road, so that we can, and we're
here Tuesday through Friday,
9:00 to 4:30.
GABBY (09:50):
Okay, and do you all like
have a work email by chance or
no?
JOAN (09:58):
hdicats@gmail.com
GABBY (09:59):
Okay. Well, thank you,
Joan, I think that's all of the
questions that I have.
JOAN (10:07):
Thank you, and you're
very welcome. Thank you.
ERIN (10:14):
This has been community
spotlight. If you are interested
in being interviewed for the
show, please reach out and let
us know, and as always, thanks
for listening.
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