Blog
Tips & Tricks for MyGuide
Did you know that you can increase the size of the buttons in MyGuide? When playing guides, notice the navigation and control buttons in the corners. If they are too small and you want to make them larger, follow these steps: From the navigation tabs on MyGuide, tap the “Me” tab in the bottom right of the screen. Select the “Settings” gear toward the top. Select “Accessibility,” then tap “Bigger Guide Controls” to turn it Read more…
Partner Spotlight – Lesley Garcia
Meet Lesley Garcia, an occupational therapist using MyGuide in her research with the University of Nottingham. Lesley is researching how technology can launch and support the wellness recovery principles of CHIME (Connectedness, Hope and Optimism, a sense of Identity, a sense of Meaning in Life, and a sense of Empowerment) to help people with dementia and their caregivers manage their lives in their own way and remain participating members of their communities. During her academic Read more…
Six MyGuide Features That Support Employment
Schedule: The MyGuide calendar enables users to: Set alerts for start and end times Schedule breaks Organize and execute multiple tasks Maintain routines Prompting: With MyGuide, users can create multimedia guides to prompt them with either images, text, or video. MyGuide makes it easy to follow directions for learning and completing routines and tasks. Job Exploration: Businesses can create virtual tours with MyGuide that allow prospective employees to take a tour, ask questions, and provide Read more…
Overview of National Disability Employment Month
This month’s newsletter is dedicated to individuals in our community who make employment a priority and are empowered by MyGuide to support their success. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a commemoration of the accomplishments of people with disabilities and their commitment to America’s workforce. Held annually, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, but its true spirit lies in the many Read more…
Meet Christiana Santos, an Occupational Therapist, and owner of Future Forward Pediatrics
Christiana Santos, an Occupational Therapist, and owner of Future Forward Pediatrics uses MyGuide with her clients every day as a tool for facilitating various therapeutic activities, visual schedules, emotion/choice communication, and remote monitoring or Home Exercise Programs. “Remote monitoring is one of the best functions of MyGuide! I can actually monitor what clients are doing on their own time – see how and when my clients are performing their home programs, how long they spend Read more…
Caregiver Tips
Caregiver Tips Mark, Caregiver for son with autism MyGuide has helped us by establishing lists of activities and routines that he will carry out on his own if his MyGuide takes him through it. In the past, he would resist or not understand what we were asking of him. He understands that the instructions, pictures, and videos on MyGuide are modeling the behaviors that we want him to adopt, and he can complete them independently Read more…
Tips & Tricks to Support Self-Expression
Tips & Tricks to Support Self-Expression Preference Assessment: Create guides that ask what MyGuide users like, prefer, and enjoy, and use their responses to inform how you help them build their guides. Provide real-world examples and images in the guide and apply them with the Choices plugin. This can help users compare options and preferences side-by-side, such as early learning with colors, or choosing between tasks in the workplace. Wish List: Find our new sample Read more…
National ACCSES Fall Summit 2021
Attending national and local conferences for professionals serving people with developmental disabilities is a powerful way to keep up to date on the latest research, advances, and technology available to professionals in the field. The National ACCSES Fall Summit was held in Tampa in late November. ACCSES is an elite network of over 1,200 organizations that provide exceptional services to people with disabilities across the United States. The national organization serves as an advocate to federal policy Read more…
Understanding Person-First Language
Person-First Language (PFL) is a style of communication that demonstrates respect for people with disabilities by recognizing them as a person first instead of describing them as their disability. Attention to this language helps to eliminate stereotypes and prejudicial language. Chris Martin, Director of Workforce for Soar365 was involved in the early days of advocating for person-first language. The MPower Me team sat down with Chris recently to reflect on the importance of PFL and how it continues Read more…
The Next Evolution of Human Rights
The presumption of competence is the most basic right upon which all others are founded. By Gretchen Ward, MS, OTR/L In 1946, the World Health Organization identified “the highest attainable standard of health as a right to every human being.” But what does that mean for people with disabilities? Often individuals with disabilities, especially those with cognitive limitations, are left out of the conversation regarding their own health, happiness, and right to work and live Read more…
By Gretchen Ward, 10 months ago
Celebrating National Caregivers Month
Celebrating National Caregivers Month In 1997 President Clinton signed the first NFC Month Presidential Proclamation and each president since has issued an annual proclamation honoring family caregivers each November. All of us at MPower Me celebrate National Caregivers Month! Many of us are caregivers, too and that experience contributes to MyGuide’s ongoing development. It’s developed by and for caregivers! We recognize how challenging it has been and continues to be for family caregivers of people with disabilities and Read more…
Clinicians Being Clinical
By Summer Lynn Malaguerra, M.Ed. MyGuide Clinician As MyGuide clinicians, we love to create guides that help our clients to independently engage in activities they enjoy to do as well as guides that encourage our clients to engage in activities that improve their quality of life. But what about us? So, we decided to try implementing some clinically guided interventions on ourselves! For me – my goal was to complete self-care routines in the morning and evening Read more…
By Joey, 2 years ago
In 2020 our clients became our teachers.
“In 2020 our clients became our teachers. They overcome so much every day to understand their world, to find their voice, and most importantly, to experience meaningful connections in new ways. Wishing all happy holidays and blessings for the new year!” – Maria McWhrit Ph.D MPower Me CEO info@MPM.care MPower Me
By Joey, 2 years ago
Connect with your community during COVID-19 With the Help of MyGuide
Our clients are disproportionately impacted by shutdowns because they can’t use standard telehealth, telework, distance learning, or social media like everyone else. That’s where MyGuide comes in. We’ve created a technology that connects individuals with their support system in meaningful ways from a safe distance, regardless of their special needs. Below are just a few examples of how MyGuide prevents regression and social isolation while increasing meaningful human connections, even during this unprecedented time. Families: Read more…
By admin, 2 years ago
Greater Washington Innovation Awards
MPower Me has been awarded two Greater Washington Innovation Awards by the NOVA Chamber of Commerce for Social Impact and the People’s Choice! This is an acknowledgement of our MyGuide program, an innovation developed by and for the disability community. Watch our presentation video below. “We are honored to accept these awards on behalf of the disability community. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with healthcare providers and policymakers, and employers and universities to Read more…
By Joey, 2 years ago
Science of MyGuide
“A Clinician’s Best Friend,” MyGuide is user-friendly software that supports individuals with special needs and their support systems. MyGuide was developed to increase access for individuals with cognitive deficits, so that they can use technology as personal resources, just like everyone else. Today on the blog we are talking about the Science of MyGuide!
By Joey, 2 years ago
What Is My Guide?
MyGuide was created to be a DIY intervention tool for individuals with special needs
By admin, 2 years ago
The Story Behind MPower Me and MyGuide
But cognitive functioning–how the brain works–is unique to each individual, and impairments like those caused by autism, such as comprehension, memory, reasoning, and information processing, are too unpredictable
By admin, 2 years ago
Transforming Family Relationships
We’re here for you! MPower Me has a TechMentor program helping others with their technology using our software, MyGuide. The best part is anyone can become a TechMentor, like a family member! Check out THIS testimonial from our TechMentor Program Director’s journey with his younger brother. “You have no idea the emotion making this testimonial video unleashed. I started thinking about the last year and how much has changed. You really have no idea how Read more…
By admin, 2 years ago
Independence Day
Do you know anyone on America’s Independence Day that wants more self-directed personal independence? MyGuide offers tools for increased independent living skills, meaningful communication, and self-determination for anyone with temporary or permanent special needs. Check out our YouTube channel or email info@mpm.care for more information.
From Our Family to Yours
Amidst unprecedented amounts of uncertainty, we are sure of one thing – families with special needs are resourceful. Regardless of how put-together or shaky your plan was for your loved one with special needs before COVID-19, if you’re like the rest of us, you’ve since learned it was a house of cards. Overnight, the structures we worked so hard to put into place were dismantled. That one teacher who could get through to him disappeared. Read more…
By admin, 2 years ago