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9 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,January 21,2021 theifp.ca FULL-SERVICE RETIREMENT HOME Located on the cusp of the Hamlet of Glen Williams 222 Mountainview Road North, Georgetown 905-877-1800 www.mountainviewresidence.com The only family owned & operated retirement home in Halton Hills. Mountainview Residence by the Glen In-house physiotherapy team, Aqua-Fit and gentle chair yoga. On-site activities include multiple movie nights weekly, various card games (for the novice and the experienced), ice cream days, pet therapy. You've worked hard to enjoy retirement, now it's our pleasure to make this the best time of your life in a family, friendly atmosphere. Along with personal care and services to support independence, our residents share full service meals in our updated dining room. Georgetown's trusted choice for hearing care 360 Guelph St., Unit 44 Georgetown (In the Knolcrest Centre) 905.877.8828 Armstrong Ave Delrex Blvd haltonaudiometric.ca Your HEARING is ESSENTIAL Thats why we are OPEN, and ready to safely help you with your hearing care needs. Call now for a preview of the next generation of hearing aid technology! autism and other cognitive special needs, which is why we are always looking for ways to provide excel- lence in service and prod- uct innovations to empow- er our passengers and make them feel welcome." The increasing cost, ac- cording to the Town of Hal- ton Hills communications manager, Alexendra Full- er, could be attributed to the growth of Magnus Mode from a small two-per- son operation into a com- pany with a staff of 15. "We had a lot of learning to do," Nadia Hamilton, founder and CEO of Mag- nus Mode, said. "Including how to appropriately cost out product and services to ensure we could provide continual value to users and partners." Across North America, Hamilton said, the app has 75,000 to 100,000 users across North America, with applications as far as Las Vegas' McCarran Air- port. But the app began at home. "I had lived with some- body impacted with autism -- my brother -- and I be- came acutely aware of the challenges people with au- tism face," Hamilton said. By drawing step-by-step guides for her brother, Hamilton noted the bene- fit. "I worked with people who had Downs syndrome and other cognitive disabil- ities, and I would go into their home and experience the same challenges my brother faced," Hamilton said. "Although it's a diverse spectrum, there are consis- tencies in terms of chal- lenges and barriers as well as abilities and strengths." From the drawn guides, Hamilton said she began to work toward building an app, partnering with sever- al institutions to test and tune the app. "People with autism and other disabilities experi- ence the world very differ- ently," Hamilton said. "It's overwhelming to focus on one task when every sound is explosive, every light is blinding." Halton Hills decks will offer instructions on how to sign up for a library card at the Halton Hills Public Library, how to be pre- pared for a public swim, and how to book a trip with the ActiVan, among other topics. "The app is intended to increase accessibility and inclusivity," Alexandra Fuller, communications manager for the Town of Halton Hills, said. "The in- tent is to remove barriers for persons with autism or any other special cognitive needs and support their ability to access the Town's three social municipal ser- vices without limitations." Fuller noted accessibili- ty was measured not just by physical barriers but any barrier limiting a per- son from completing an ac- tion. "In general, it allows for more information and less anxiety," Sinthea Chowd- hury, support co-ordinator for Autism Ontario, said. "For the autistic communi- ty it's been a great benefit. It allows a clear under- standing of what to expect from beginning to end." The program will roll out in April. MagnusCards is a free-to-download app available on Android and iOS devices. THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY: While a partnership with a new app would offer more in- dependence and autonomy for residents with autism or other cognitive special needs, the price tag has increased for Halton Hills compared to what Oakville and Milton paid to in- tegrate it into their munici- pal services. We wanted to learn why. NEWS Continued from page 8 Following the lead of the Town of Oakville and the Town of Milton, the Town of Halton Hills will implement Magnuscards, an app to aid people with autism, for a number of Town services. David Lea/Metroland