This week, disabled people who live at Livability Brookside House, staff and supporters were proud to welcome HRH The Princess Royal, Livability’s Patron, to their Edgware home on Wednesday 19th February. The afternoon reception celebrated Livability Brookside’s recent ‘outstanding’ rating from care inspection body CQC, an achievement highlighted by the princess in her speech.
Increasing independence with assistive technology
The Princess Royal visited several of Brookside’s 22 residents’ flats, most of whom are profoundly disabled. Peter, Debbie and Harriet demonstrated how assistive communication technology, such as the Alexa device, has increased their independence by helping them to call staff, chat to family and friends and control their flat’s environment. Married couple Peter and Debbie told Her Royal Highness how they could speak to Peter’s family in Spain via Alexa, and how they had celebrated their recent anniversary by visiting their relatives abroad.