On the same day of my accident, another girl from the same town had a car accident, too. Kaitlyn and I stayed at the same hospital and she would come to visit my room when she could. We kept up with each other even after we went our separate ways.

Recently her dad donated an Alexa to me and he programmed it to turn on my lights when I say so!

Creating a truly accessible home has become easier thanks to smart home technology. It has opened up a whole new world for individuals who cannot do everyday tasks as easily.

Alexa can be your ‘‘hands’’ when you’re busy cleaning, cooking, or even when your hands just don’t work quite as well.

Plus, you can expand your smart home capabilities a little at a time, starting with what you need most.

Right now, we have mine connected to lights, the thermostat, and an Amazon Firestick. The Firestick plugs into my tv so I can control it through Alexa. I also have a few smart plugs. Whatever I plug into them makes it accessible through Alexa. I can’t wait to set it up with more in the future!!!

I also use it to make phone calls, set timers and alarms, listen to music, and check the weather, and as an intercom between mine and my dad’s room! There is so much I can do that wouldn’t be possible on my own and using Alexa makes me feel more independent!

If you have a disability or even if you just need an extra hand around the house, give the Alexa a try!!! To get you started, I want to donate an Alexa Echo Dot and some smart plugs to someone who needs it!!! Check out my post on Instagram (@janeycarter_) to learn how to win!!!