Huntington Woods couple create Dani Plan website for caregivers
HUNTINGTON WOODS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Taking care of loved ones with special needs or limitations is a responsibility many caregivers take on every day.
In October, Joel and Debbie Pearlman of Huntington Woods launched a website they created called Dani Plan.
It's an online and mobile-friendly resource that stores specific information about how to care for your loved one with special needs or disabilities.
Their 23-year-old daughter, Dani, was the inspiration behind the idea.
Dani is nonverbal. When she was two, she was diagnosed with autism. Her parents are her primary caregivers.
"It started with the idea that what happens if Debbie and I aren't around. How are people going to know how to take care of our daughter Dani? Basically, all the nuances about her … her likes, her dislikes, her behaviors, what medications to take," said Joel Pearlman. "We just felt like something like this really gives her the respect and dignity she deserves and the same for the caregivers. Love the idea of helping people, other people that are in our shoes that know kind of the fear of making sure our loved ones are taken care of the way that we want them taken care of."
TODAY at 4pm 👀 I’m looking forward to introducing you all to the Pearlman’s. They’ve created an incredible resource for caregivers. Tune in to CBS Detroit to see their story 🩷
Posted by Alysia Burgio TV on Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Dani Plan is an all-encompassing tool that makes it easy to share this type of information - a task the Pearlmans found difficult in the past.
"There are a lot of documents you can fill out, but nothing was, I guess … we found it to be a tedious process, unformatted, no way of updating things, it was hard to find. I decided there has to be a better way to do this," Joel stated.
Caregivers who create online accounts have full control over what information they add and how the private information is shared.
The website and mobile application also send reminders throughout the day.
It's a resource at your fingertips, providing comfort for caregivers, especially those on the receiving end.
Reporter: "What is the one thing you want people to take away when they come to this website?"
"I mean, I'd love them to see the simplicity of it, feel like it's going to be a plan that's really user-friendly. And that it's really just this all-in-one hub for everything for their loved one with special needs," said Joel.
Since the website launched in October, the Pearlmans noticed up to 10% of people used Dani Plan to care for elderly family members, which they say is another great way to utilize this resource.
If interested in Dani Plan, users can subscribe online. It costs $10 a month.