Charles Home Consumers Create New Recycle Bins for Imagine!

Imagine! has committed to creating a zero waste work environment. As part of this process, Imagine! artist/consumers, including Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome residents Donna, Gerald, and Rebecca, have been decorating recycle bins for staff members.

SmartHomes Make Staff Members More Efficient

A key goal of our SmartHomes project is to make our staff members more efficient, so they can spend more of their time doing what they do best – caring for residents. Below are a few examples of technologies currently being used by staff members at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome that demonstrate our commitment to that goal.

Supervisor and Staff Information System Interface

The Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome utilizes a network of interoperable hardware and software for real-time resident monitoring, reporting, data modeling and decision support. This provides a single point of entry for information for managers on house functions and consumer and employee activities; provides a single interface for line staff to monitor consumer activities and report on daily consumer and house related activities; provides a simple method for line staff to enter daily documentation; documents activities based upon sensor data collection; and provides a method for line staff to respond to consumer initiated emergency calls and sensor based health alerts.

Documentation of Life History of Consumers

Using a variety of integrated hardware and software, Charles SmartHome staff members are provided a means to document and disseminate the life history of consumers. By collecting information on daily activities, family history, personal preferences, and medical information, staff members have a greater understanding of the people they are serving, and improved services and communication are the result.

Online Training

Online training for staff provides a simple and cost-effective method for staff to meet the necessary training requirements, and shorten the training curve for new employees.

Online Employee Time Tracking

Using an online employee time tracking system not only frees up employee time to focus on caring for consumers, it also ensures accurate and timely information for payroll administration.

International Campaign Update

Have you heard about our International Campaign? If not, here’s the scoop:

Imagine!’s SmartHomes project was recently awarded $25,000 by the Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation to start an international campaign with a goal of provision of cost-effective services for individuals with developmental and related disabilities in the developing world.

And here’s the most recent, and very exciting, news. SmartHome guru Greg Wellems has received a formal invitation requesting a SmartHomes presentation in Brussels from Johan ten Geuzendam, Head of Unit for European Commission, Integration of People with Disabilities, Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities Department.

The meeting is planned for early spring and we’ll be sure to keep you posted on how it goes.

Longmont SmartHome Construction Update

Construction on the Longmont SmartHome will be complete early next month. Amazing job by our friends at Golden Triangle Construction!

See construction photos from start to finish here.

Congratulations Namaste!

Congratulations are in order for our friends at Namaste Solar, named “Best Place to Work” by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

Namaste has been instrumental in our effort to reduce energy costs and improve the overall efficiency level of Imagine!’s service provision through our SmartHomes.

At our Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, Namaste installed a 6.75kW Solar Photo Voltaic system. In the first few months of operations, the system generated enough electricity to prevent 7,391.556 lbs of CO2 waste from being generated from non renewable energy sources.

That amount of CO2 saved is equal to consuming 353 gallons of gasoline!

Namaste also installed a 8.1kW solar PV system at our newest SmartHome in Longmont. The Center for Resource Conservation awarded the Longmont SmartHome $15,000 to go toward that installation.

Our partnership with Namaste has helped our SmartHomes to be recognized for our forward thinking and green approach. For example, last fall, the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome was part of 14th Annual Boulder County Tour of Solar & Green Homes.

The Charles Home was also selected as one of three finalists in the inaugural Colorado Sustainable Design Awards (CSDA), and was nominated for a Colorado Governor’s Excellence in Renewable Energy Award.

We congratulate Namaste on their well deserved honor, and thank them for their continued support of our SmartHomes project.

Check Out Our Latest SmartHome Video

Learn a little bit more about our SmartHomes project, including the history, the reasons behind it, and some success stories, by checking out the video below.