Keymn is a former fulltime unpaid carer.
Technology slowly became a practical tool for keeping life organised. The Jointly App was the first thing that made a real difference. It allowed Keymn, her siblings, and their PA to coordinate their mother’s care, share appointment details, and keep everyone updated in one place.
Because Keymn's mother was nonverbal, WhatsApp became essential for sharing shopping needs, recording questions for professionals, and keeping track of information when someone couldn’t attend a meeting. It helped the whole family stay connected and informed. It also supports Keymn as an advocate as she supports many groups and gains insights from the group about what works and what doesn’t work in service land.
As a parent, Keymn also relied on ClassDojo to follow their child’s learning, receive messages from school, and access homework and activity updates. Over time, AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT became useful for understanding health and social care information, legislation, and general learning — though never for personal matters, due to a lack of trust on Keymn’s side.
Other tools supported everyday life: Trainline for travel, shopping apps for shopping deals, Google and Siri for quick answers, and the Ring Doorbell (the only paid tool at £89) for safety at home.
There were challenges. AI often struggles with the Jamaican accent, and many responses felt generic or culturally unaware. For Keymn, this highlighted the need for AI to be codesigned with the communities who use it, especially Black and Asian communities who often feel excluded from tech design. She believes AI for health and social care needs should be free and accessible, and that helpful tools should be utilised in care and support plans.
Despite the limitations, technology continues to support Keymn’s family life, learning, and day to day tasks. It saves time, reduces stress, and provides quick access to information. Her advice to others is as follows, start with free tools, explore them slowly, and learn alongside someone that already accesses AI.