Welcome to my very first blog! I am Astrid Plugge, an entrepreneur and active member of the civil society in The Hague. As a mother of four children, including an 11-year-old son with severe, drug-resistant, epilepsy and developmental delay, I would like to share my personal story with you. In my blogs I take you on my quest for the right care technology that can complement the care for my son.

Very vulnerable

My son has suffered from severe, drug-resistant epilepsy from an early age and has developmental delay in all areas. We have tried everything from medication to alternative therapies, but so far his epilepsy is progressive and he needs a lot of (medical) care and guidance. It is a real social sweetheart, but at the same time it is also very vulnerable.

Constant worries

As a mother, I am constantly worried about his future. I wonder who will take care of him when I'm gone and how we can make sure he has a safe and comfortable living environment later on. Also, I worry all the time about what will happen when he grows up and moves to a sheltered environment. In fact, he cannot be alone and always needs the closeness of another person to accompany him.

Priority: its safety

I am doing everything I can to make sure my son receives the best possible care and quality of life. However, the staff shortage in the care sector – especially in care for the disabled – is very high and there is a high turnover. So that will not always be possible to achieve well. Human contact and guidance will always be necessary for my son, but I am also curious whether modern care technology can be a valuable addition. That's why I started researching modern care technologies that can help us provide him with a safe and comfortable living environment. How can we ensure that he can function as independently as possible without losing sight of his safety?

Appropriate care technology for our situation

I am aware that there are many options such as smart sensors, voice assistants and mobile apps that can help monitor medications and detect seizures. But which technology is right for our specific situation and can guarantee my son's safety? In my blogs I would like to take you along in my search for suitable aids for my son.

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