COLORADO SPRINGS — In this day and age, it can be hard to find time to connect with loved ones.
It's been especially true throughout the pandemic, when getting together isn't as simple as it used to be.
What if there was an app on your phone that made it easier?
Local, Steve Peterschmidt, wanted there to be a convenient way to talk to his loved ones.
His idea was Porchlight.
"It asks you how are you doing? You say today I am super happy, happy about my family," said Steve Peterschmidt, founder of Porchlight.
Created in 2017, Porchlight Connect, was made to connect family members with one another, without having to call or text.
"There is that convenience of, I get a chance to check in everyday when it's convenient for me, I share that with you, you get to see it when it's convenient with you and we don't have to interrupt our lives with that," said Peterschmidt.
When COVID-19 hit, Peterschmidt realized the app might be able to serve a greater audience.
"People in the hospitals and ICU, due to COVID, were isolated and dying alone," said Peterschmidt.
Porchlight became the first ever HIPAA compliant platform that links people with their families and healthcare.
"It's really all about the whole person health. You can take a pill or have a procedure, but the way that you are going to have a healthy lifestyle is engaging your family," Peterschmidt.
In just a click of a button, Derek Wilson could communicate with his sick father who was all alone in the hospital for three weeks.
"This technology was able to keep us connected, bring us together and give us that piece of mind that we wouldn't have had through phone calls," said Derek Wilson.
Wilson says Porchlight gave his father something to fight for.
"He felt almost rejuvenated to move forward into something new, he was re-purposed for something more. It wasn't an ending but a beginning for him," said Wilson.
A platform that can give loved ones the closest thing to connection.
"There is something about seeing someone and the interaction that goes on, it is not the same as human touch, but sure it does make a huge difference," said Wilson.
Porchlight Connect is free to download on any mobile device.
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