Delyn recently embarked on a new career path, training to become a Certified Education Assistant. She has Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), and has limited mobility in some of her joints, including her left knee and right thumb.

“My disorder is degenerative, so I have chronic pain and worsening joint conditions over time,” she shares. “I must be able to sit/stand whenever needed throughout my job to relieve the knee issues. I have a special pen to reduce pain while scribing, although it causes pain regardless so I cannot do extended periods with writing. These conditions definitely impacted my search for work prior to my current career change.”

Her WorkBC Centre referred her to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services (ATS) for the assistive technology she needed to complete the training for her new career path, and to thrive in employment afterwards. Delyn received an ergonomic assessment from our team of occupational therapists to ensure she received the right accommodations to address her needs.

“ATS supplied me with the equipment I needed to help me succeed in my schooling and any work-related tasks I may need to do at home. I received a sit/stand desk to allow me to accommodate when I need to change positions and that actually goes low enough for me to sit properly due to my 5’3″ height, the first ergonomic chair I have ever owned/used to help with the chronic back pain and that also goes low enough to accommodate my height while sitting, a monitor and monitor mount to elevate this secondary monitor to eye level to relieve neck strain, a split ergonomic keyboard to accommodate my fused right wrist and carpal tunnel, and a vertical mouse to also accommodate my fused right wrist. I was also supplied a laptop mount to elevate the laptop screen to eye level,” she says.

“These accommodations allowed me to be comfortable and reduced pain while sitting at my desk during all day classes and for job hunting sessions. This helped to improve my ability to focus and work on my classwork or any other tasks I needed to do at my desk. I continue to enjoy these benefits for all tasks I do at my desk.”

Since receiving the accommodations through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, she has completed training and found employment as a Certified Education Assistant. Delyn says she “absolutely” recommends WorkBC Assistive Technology Services to others.

“ATS gave me the best chance to focus on my classwork, rather than being distracted my numerous extra discomforts throughout my day in school,” she shares. “The technology cannot take away the underlying cause of the need, but having those extra distractions/discomforts removed can make a huge difference. The accommodations also allowed me to use my technology to its utmost while in school, meaning I could produce better work and do so in less time. Being able to focus also means I have better retention of the information, which is essential for my new career.”

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WorkBC Assistive Technology Services is operated by Neil Squire. Assistive Technology Services are available to individuals who have a work-related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation. This may include barriers related to traveling to and from the workplace.

Questions about WorkBC Assistive Technology Services? Need help applying? Contact us: 1-844-453-5506 or info-ats@workbc.ca

Please visit www.workbc-ats.ca for more information about WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.

Tags: assistive technology, BC, ergonomics, WorkBC Assistive Technology Services