Gerald Reviewing His Numbers

We have a great video to share today.

The good folks at Twisted Pine Brewery in Boulder have demonstrated their commitment to providing supported employment to those with significant needs by carving out a special position for Gerald. For those of you who don’t know him, Gerald lives in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. Gerald has significant physical disabilities, including limited mobility and a limited ability to communicate vocally. Over the past few years, however, Gerald has used an assistive communication device called a DynaVox to improve his ability to communicate his needs and desires. He has also used the device to begin to learn how to read, write, and do arithmetic – at the age of 48!

Twisted Pine has been collaborating with Gerald, Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department, and the staff members at the SmartHome to create some tasks that Gerald can perform at Twisted Pine using his DynaVox, including assisting with inventory.

Think about that – someone who couldn’t count to ten a few short years ago is now doing inventory work for his employer!

This video shows Gerald practicing his numbers on his Dynavox so he can keep up with inventory.



And stay tuned! Tomorrow, we’ll show Gerald at work using his newfound skills!

Donna’s Diary - August 2011

Fringe Festivals, sock puppets, and stories oh my! Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Donna’s latest online diary entry (below) has them all – and more. Donna’s diary is always a great read and offers a nice perspective on how engaged she is in her community.

To see all of Donna’s diary entries, click here.

Last Saturday I was a nervous mess as I prepared to read a story at the Boulder Fringe Festival at Naropa University. There were about a dozen of us from CORE/Labor Source classes doing readings, dancing, and singing, and to be honest, when it came time for me to do my reading I had the crud scared out of me. I mustered up some enthusiasm and stuck with it and got through it OK. I stumbled through a couple words but other than that it went smooth.

As for the audience, it seemed like everybody and their brother was there. To say the least, the room was packed! There was not enough room for everyone to sit so there were people who had to stand to watch the performance.

I read a story I wrote about me and some friends having a party. It was a make believe story. I like those because you can put anything in it that you want. I had some stuffed animals in the story, and they could talk but I did the talking for them. Kind of like a sock puppet without the sock.

I actually do have some experience with sock puppets. When I was in the 4th grade, we did a sock puppet show at Loma Linda Elementary School in Longmont. We made the puppets in class and had them square dancing with each other during the show.

So, back to the Fringe Festival. When I was done with my reading I got to watch and listen to my housemate Mandy read her story. By then I was relaxed and got to enjoy listening to Mandy, and she did a great job.

In between readings, me and Gerald and about 10 other people sang and played music. All in all it was a fun day and I hope we get to go back next year.

Donna and Mandy Perform at the Fringe Festival

On Saturday, August 20, consumers in Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source classes, including SmartHome residents Donna and Mandy, performed at the Boulder Fringe Festival at Naropa University in front of a standing room only crowd. The performances included dance, music, theatre, and live readings of original material developed in CORE/Labor Source classes. Following the show, the performers were asked to make this an annual gig with the Fringe Festival. Nice work, everyone!

Donna possesses great public speaking skills and is pictured here reading at the Boulder Fringe Festival.

Mandy (on the right) is an excellent public speaker and writes her own stories for Imagine! newsletters.

SmartHomes In The News

Great story in today’s Longmont Times-Call about yesterday’s Longmont Area Economic Council’s Community Appreciation Luncheon. During the luncheon, CivilArts was honored for supporting the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont, and the story linked below has great quotes from Deb Drexel, business manager for CivilArts, on why she supports our SmartHomes project. Thanks Deb!

Click here to see the story.

Congratulations CivilArts

Congratulations are in order for our good friends at CivilArts, recipients of a Community Appreciation Award from the Longmont Area Economic Council because of their contributions to Imagine!’s Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. In the photo below, Frank and Deb Drexel, owners of CivilArts, show off their award.

Philadelphia Bound

A key element of our SmartHomes project – sharing ideas, learnings, and best practices with DD organizations across the country - continues to gain momentum.

Example: superstar SmartHome staffers Greg, Kevin, and Sterling are headed to Philadelphia, PA tomorrow to consult with NHS Services on that organization’s plans to integrate technology into their services.

Have fun, guys!

Sarah's New Wheelchair

Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Sarah recently received a new wheelchair! The new wheelchair is much easier to maneuver than her old chair, and the open layout of the SmartHome has allowed her to use that maneuverability to full advantage. She’s even been playing a game of “soccer,” kicking around a large inflatable ball. Way to go, Sarah!

Presentable

On October 12, Imagine! SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems is scheduled to participate in a 2011 Coleman Institute Preconference Roundtable on Cloud Computing for Residential Supports and Services.

Roundtable Focus: Implications of Cloud Computing for Residential Supports and Services

Roundtable Objectives:

• To develop a vision for the use of cloud technology in the context of residential services and related supports. The vision should be based on an exchange of ideas and knowledge among service providers, consumers and advocates, technologists, and law and policy specialists.

• To learn how the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII) initiative should be shaped to provide best support for this vision. As you may know, GPII (GPII.org) is an international initiative aimed at shaping cloud computing technology so as to make development, delivery and use of access technologies and services easier, less expensive, and more effective.

• To learn how law and policy should be shaped to provide the best support for this vision.

The roundtable proceedings will be recorded without attribution, and disseminated in the form of a white paper describing:

• the vision

• input for the GPII Initiative

• policy recommendations

We know you’ll do great, Greg!

Minnesota Bound

A key element of our SmartHomes project – sharing ideas, learnings, and best practices with organizations that serve individuals with developmental disabilities across the country - continues to gain momentum. Here’s the latest example: superstar SmartHome staffers Greg, Kevin, and Sterling are headed to Eagan, Minnesota today to consult with Dakota Communities on that organization’s plans to integrate technology into their services.

Dakota Communities seems to have the perfect organizational mindset to make the transition to including the latest in technology in their work. Take a look at this quote from their website:

As Dakota Communities has grown from one home in Dakota County to 32 homes in 18 communities in Minnesota, we have focused on good stewardship -- stewardship of our organization, our relationships and our finances. More than 500 people work for Dakota Communities today. The vision of the organization, however, continues to be the same: to stay true to the purpose and practices that have made Dakota Communities a well respected, high quality provider of services to people with disabilities, and to branch out - in our tradition of innovation and creativity - to develop new services that meet the changing needs of people with disabilities.

We look forward to working with Dakota Communities!

Anthony and Sarah Birthday Celebration Video

Enjoy this video of Charles Family SmartHome residents Anthony and Sarah celebrating at a joint birthday party in early August.



Can’t see the video? Click here.

Another SmartHome On The Horizon(s)?

Our good friends at Horizons, which provides services to persons with developmental disabilities in northwest Colorado (Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties), are hoping to submit a US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant to build their own technology infused home, similar to our SmartHomes.

They have toured the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder previously, and will meet with SmartHomes Project Manager Sterling Wind soon for more consultation. Good luck!

Imagine! CEO To Speak at Coleman Institute Conference

Imagine!’s leadership in the use of technology to serve individuals with developmental and related disabilities continues to be recognized across the nation. The latest example: Imagine! CEO Mark Emery is scheduled to be a guest speaker at the Oct. 13 “Coleman Institute National Conference on Cognitive Disability and Technology in Challenging Economic Environments.”

Congratulations Mark - we know you will represent us well!

Six Staters to Tour SmartHome

The Six State Summit, scheduled for Oct. 11 in Westminster, CO., will have attendees from six State Associations (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) that provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities.

A highlight of the Summit will be a tour of one of Imagine!’s SmartHomes.

The Summit is sponsored in part by Alliance.

Anthony and Sarah's Birthday Party

Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont residents Anthony and Sarah recently had a joint birthday celebration. Enjoy some photos from the party – it looks like they had a great time!

Technology Allows Eddie to Make His Own Decisions

As proud as we are of our SmartHomes, we know that the homes themselves can only serve a very few people. That is why part of the second phase of our SmartHomes project is to test and refine technologies that can be used by other individuals with intellectual, developmental, or related disabilities.

Here’s one example of where we’ve started that effort. In the video below, Eddie, a individual served by Imagine! (but not a SmartHome resident) is using technology to learn the first step in communicating on his own by pushing a button to indicate choices. If he pushes the button, he can see clips from his favorite movie, “The Hangover.”

That may seem simple, but for someone like Eddie, who has never had the capability to verbally or physically indicate his preferences to others, the simple act of making his own choice is a profound first step toward independence. Simply choosing to see the video or not helps him become an emergent communicator, and change a lifelong mindset of dependence. Using Boardmaker software by Myers Johnson, Eddie is learning about cause and effect, and beginning to recognize that he can have control over his choices.

This is only an initial step in what will be a long and arduous process. But it is a great example of how technology can change the lives of even those who have spent their entire lives with significant physical and developmental disabilities and have not had the opportunity to direct their own life choices.

Keep up the hard work, Eddie!



Can’t see the video? Click here.

International Tourist Part III

Imagine!’s SmartHomes are becoming an international destination for leaders across the globe who are looking into new ways of providing services for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

We mentioned that in the past week and one half, we’ve have visitors from India and France.

And on Tuesday, we added a visitor from England to that list. Rob McNeill, Vice Consul and Trade & Investment Officer, Information and Communication Technology for the British Consulate-General, Chicago, dropped by to see first hand to see how technology is changing the lives of some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens.

The tour was arranged by Geoff Cooper, President and CEO of CaraSolva – one of our longtime partners in searching for ways to use technology to enhance services.

In the pictures below, Vice Consul McNeill is wearing the black suit, and Mr. Cooper is in the blue shirt. You’ll also see SmartHomes project manager Sterling Wind and technology guru Chris Baumgart demonstrating various technologies.

Thank you for touring, Vice Consul McNeill!

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Sarah today.

We hope your birthday wishes come true!

Happy Birthday Anthony!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays today to Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Anthony. Make it a great one, Anthony!

Sen. Bennet Staffer Tours SmartHome

Last week, James Thompson, Regional Director for US Senator Michael Bennet, took a tour of the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. In the picture below, SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems explains how the technology in the home is changing the lives of the residents living there, and also how the technology can impact future services for many more individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Thanks for touring, James!

International Tourist Part II

It has been a busy week for international tours to our SmartHomes.

Last Tuesday, Thilakam Rajendran, Managing Director of India-based ARUNIM, took a tour of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder.

Then, on Friday, the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome saw its second international tourist in one week when Charles Consel, Professor of Computer Science, University of Bordeaux toured the home.

Professor Consel shared information on his areas of research, including working on smart technologies for seniors, and listened intently as we demonstrated the technologies currently available in our SmartHomes, technologies we’re looking at, and how the needs of seniors and those with developmental disabilities intersect.

The tour was arranged by Clayton Lewis from the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities.

Thanks for touring, Professor Consel!