Sam has autism and frequently darts and wanders away. “He will take off towards traffic when we take him to local parks or soccer fields to play. He also runs to the street when playing in our back yard,” Sam’s mom Julie explained. In addition, Sam takes certain medications for other health conditions that have the side effect of hyperactivity. “He really needs a big yard to run in,” Julie said.
Sam loves to run and climb, but for his safety Julie and her husband felt stuck keeping him inside. “We were feeling like we lived in seclusion,” Julie said.
Julie and her husband decided a fence for their back yard would be the perfect solution. After searching for funding and coming up short, they were referred to PATF. With only one income after Julie quit her job to take care of Sam, they appreciated the low interest rate and extra time to pay off the loan.
Sam loves having squirt gun fights with his friends in his newly fenced yard.
“With the loan we got from PATF we were able to enclose our back yard with a fence that is too tall for Sam to climb. We can now invite friends and family over for cookouts and backyard fun, such as water balloon and squirt gun fights, soccer and kickball, and just running around the yard. Our son can play outside and get exercise without putting himself in danger. As parents we are able to relax and enjoy our yard now knowing our son is safe. We have had our fence since April 2019, and it has improved the quality of living for our whole family, not just Sam. He can go outside into our back yard and play just about every day and be safe.”
Assistive technology is any device that helps a person with a disability do the things they want to do – even a fence! Is there some kind of technology or adaptation that would help you live your life the way you want to live it? We can help you pay for it, either with one of our financial loans or through information and assistance with other assistive technology funding resources. Contact us for help today!