BROCKTON, Mass. — At VA hospitals in Brockton and West Roxbury, 18 quadriplegic veterans are getting a degree of independence and privacy back. They are being outfitted with HeadMouse Nano devices so that they can operate iPads and other devices with their head movements.
For 37-year-old Ken Nolan at the VA in West Roxbury, the HeadMouse Nano is making a big difference.
“It’s opened up a whole new possibility where I can interact, talk, play and have fun again with my friends,” Nolan said.
VA staffers told Boston 25 News that they are seeing important changes in the lives of quadriplegic veterans.
“We want to give independence back to our patients in as many ways as possible,” VA occupational therapist Kara Vautour said in a Zoom interview. “And using a device like this is helping us find alternative ways for them to access things some have never used before, like an iPhone or iPad or a smartphone or computer.”
“They are just elated to be able to have that independence, to not have to call on somebody for extra help when they need it,” VA recreation therapist Heather Pfleider added.
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The HeadMouse Nano devices are expensive and there are not enough to go around, so Massachusetts Disabled and Limbless Veterans is stepping in and is now fundraising.
Founder Mike McNulty, himself a Vietnam Veteran, said his board did not hesitate when it learned about the need for the devices.
Already, Logan Post of the Somerville VFW has made a substantial donation to buy more devices.
“It’s a debt owed to them. They put their life on the line when they went to war, some of them came back messed up. It’s up to all of us now to take care of them,” McNulty said.
If you would like to help out, go to www.dlvets.org.
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