How AngelSense Helps Teens & Adults with Special Needs

June 24, 2020

When children grow up, they inevitably want more independence and this can be particularly stressful for parents of children with autism or other special needs. As they start to go out into the world by themselves, parents can have peace of mind knowing where they are and that they can check in with them with the AngelSense GPS for teens and adults with special needs.

During transitions, our customers have turned to AngelSense to gain the confidence needed to allow their children more freedom and independence. The peace of mind that comes with knowing they can easily locate their loved one and communicate with them or listen-in to their surroundings if something happens is truly a game-changer. During major life changes, it also helps the child feel more secure to know that they are safe and their parents are still protecting them.

They also saw a decrease in behavioral issues at home because it allowed their teens and young adults more freedom and the ability to go out into the world more frequently. As your child gets older their desire to go out and experience new things increases, no matter what level of functioning they are. When there is a safety precaution in place like the AngelSense GPS, it is easier to safely make more compromises and give them more leeway.

For those who are non-verbal or have more severe symptoms, having the AngelSense wearable GPS device can make them feel like they have a phone like everyone else. It also is a great way for therapists or caregivers to get ahold of you, as many of them are not permitted to have their cellphones with them while they’re working. They can simply press the Call Request button so you’ll know they need you. You can then use the 2-Way Assistive Speakerphone on the device to speak with them.

AngelSense vs. a Smartphone for Safety

AngelSense helps with strengthening independence skills, building trust, and gradually giving your child more and more independence. Many parents use it as a back-up to their young adult’s phone, finding relief in the fact that if they lose their phone or the battery dies, they still have a way to find and communicate with them.

Our autism moms who make up our AngelSense Customer Care Team mentioned that they love using AngelSense for their older children. One of the main concerns they had before using the device is that when their children get overwhelmed their ability to use a cellphone is often hindered. AngelSense provides them an added level of protection for when their loved ones need them most.

Tracking apps on phones are also very limited in their functionality. AngelSense provides powerful alerts for unexpected places, late arrivals, and more. It also has an assistive auto answer feature on the speakerphone and SOS call request button that is easy to press. Another feature that is great for commutes is the safe ride monitoring with detailed route tracking, eta, and speed for each and every transit.

How AngelSense Helps with Employment Opportunities

Teens and young adults with special needs face many challenges when joining the workforce. From finding a suitable job to self-advocacy and more, they often need additional support. AngelSense not only helps them prove their capabilities, but it can also expand the job search radius because parents feel comfortable with them traveling further from home independently.

One of our moms shared that her son wanted to be included so one day he went to the mall after work with his coworkers. AngelSense notified her that he was somewhere unexpected and she could see he was at the mall instead of on his way home. She was able to call his device and make sure he was ok and when he was done he pressed the SOS button so she could give him directions to get home (he only knew how to get home from work, not the mall!).

We have also heard about how AngelSense came in handy when one of our users was accused of something at work. He was able to show his boss his location history with exact times on the AngelSense app and prove he wasn’t where they said he was when the incident occurred. This also helped another employee with missed clock-ins as he could show his employer exactly when he got to work and left for each and every day.  Having an additional tool to help those with special needs advocate for themselves is just one of the added benefits.

There is also an option to allow employers access to the AngelSense app during work hours. This has helped managers keep track of where their employees are throughout the day and get in touch with them using the speakerphone when needed, especially when some of them don’t have a cell phone like their other employees. AngelSense is a great tool to help build trust and confidence between employers and their employees with special needs.

Learn More about how AngelSense is used to help with employment.

Keep in mind that without consent, it is illegal to use a GPS tracker for a child once they turn 18 unless you have court-ordered guardianship. Many of our customers report that their older children readily give permission because they feel better knowing their parents can help them if something happens. They also like knowing that it puts their parents’ minds at ease.