Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Congratulations, Michelle!

Congratulations are in order for Michelle Steele being selected as the January 2015 recipient of the Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award. Here’s why she was honored, as reported by one of her co-workers:

“Michelle used her day off work to bring Donna and Gerald, who live in Imagine!’s Santa Fe Group Home in Broomfield, to the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont so that they could watch the Broncos game with Toby for his birthday. Toby was just so happy that they could be there and that they could share their love of football together on his birthday. Michelle deserves an award for going above and beyond to try and help one of our consumers have one of the best birthdays ever.”

Great work, Michelle, and congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Technology Tuesday

Imagine! doesn’t only embrace technologies that offer opportunities for greater self-reliance among the individuals we serve. We also explore the use of technologies that can make us more effective as an organization, and that will save us time and money.

One example of how we have explored technology to improve our efficiency as an organization is through our use of FleetCommander. FleetCommander is a web-based fleet and motor pool software tool. Imagine! has a large fleet of vehicles, and this software has greatly improved our ability to manage that fleet.

FleetCommander helps Imagine! maintain electronic preventive and repair maintenance records in one spot, which can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection; allows Imagine! to tailor maintenance data and reports to show repair trending among like vehicles, or age of vehicle, or mileage or other desired criterion; and Imagine! can use mileage as a guide to set repair schedules at the appropriate time. This permits required work to be performed at the optimum time so warranty requirements are met. It also extends the life of the vehicle components by tracking when maintenance and repairs should occur.


Through FleetCommander, Imagine! can monitor accident records in one accessible location that permits simple, accurate updating. This allows easy data extraction for use by company personnel or claims. FleetCommander integrates with US Bank Voyager system so monthly fuel records are easily downloaded. Miles per gallon can be computed instantly for any vehicle or combination of vehicles to measure against factory specs. This allows for research of significant mpg differences to be explored and corrective actions to be taken as needed.


FleetCommander system data is capable of monitoring variances of parts and/or labor costs so that the most economical resources are used, and system data can be organized so that trends of parts replacements can be tracked – such as tires, brakes, shocks/struts, etc. Reports can be created that are supportive of efforts for fleet obsolescence and upgrading plans.


Finally, the FleetCommander system allows for vehicles to be grouped/assigned to departments or individuals so that cost allocation is simple and accurate.



Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Technology Tuesday

This week’s Technology Tuesday comes to you from Suzanne Phillips, Communication Teacher at Imagine!’s Longmont CORE/Labor Source (CLS) hub. Today, Suzanne talks about AbleNet’s Sounding Board app, and how she and others are using it to open doors to new communication opportunities. 

Now that Longmont’s new iPads are up and running, it’s been great to see how staff and teachers are using them to improve client’s daily lives at CORE/Labor Source. Longmont’s first iPad specific class has begun, clients check them out during lunch to play educational games, and many have learned to access the iBooks library. Everyone enjoys using the iPads, but some staff members have really gone above and beyond to use these devices to their full potential. Alexa Weitzeil is one such staff member. She is our primary Sensory teacher, and she works with many adults who are non-verbal and have trouble communicating wants, needs, and preferences. When the iPads arrived, she was immediately interested in the communication-based adaptive technology apps. She quickly learned to use AbleNet’s Sounding Board app, which essentially turns an iPad into a customizable communication device. Using Sounding Board, you can create communication boards of up to nine messages per screen, use symbols (or your own photos) for visual content, and record messages that will play when a picture or symbol is pressed. Alexa has already had great success with this app! Here’s a bit of her success shared in her own words (names changed to protect privacy):

Hey everyone! 

I just wanted to share some exciting news about our friend “Jane.” 

I have been working with her the past few days on using the Sounding Board app on the iPads to help her communicate, and she has responded extremely well! I created a single-button board on the app so that when she touches the screen, it says, "I would like some attention please." For the past two days, Jane has independently touched the screen multiple times to get staff attention instead of hitting herself. YAY! After getting staff attention, Jane would use the yes/no buttons on a different board to tell staff if she needed to use the restroom or not. 

While there is still some work to do, Jane has done a wonderful job using the app instead of hitting herself to get staff attention thus far. Other staff members are using the app as well when working with Jane to help her continue to improve her communication. I love seeing the progress she's making! Thanks for reading and sharing in the excitement! 

I love to see teachers like Alexa promoting this kind of self-reliance, and creating such successful teachable moments! I know that this is just the beginning, and we will continue to work as a team to build on this success. I look forward to sharing more stories with you soon – stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Loren!

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

Monday, December 22, 2014

Thank You, 1stBank Center

Last week we showed you some pictures of residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome attending the “So You Think You Can Dance?” 2014 Dance Tour at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield.

We neglected to mention that the 1StBank Center donated a suite at their venue so the residents could attend this fantastic event. So we’d like to share a few more photos from the sutie and a great big “THANK YOU” to the 1stBank Center for making this magical evening a reality!



Friday, December 19, 2014

New Tour Dates For Charles Family SmartHome

Starting in January, we will have new dates for available tours of the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. Tours of that home will now be hosted the 3rd Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. Why not make a New Year’s resolution to take a tour and see first-hand how technology is changing the way services are delivered to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

Schedule your tour today

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Vote For Your Favorite Gingerbread Train

Imagine!’s Innovations department, which includes our SmartHomes, is engaging in a “Gingerbread Train Contest” between two teams of Imagine! employees. The two trains are in the photos, and we’d love for you to vote to help us determine a winner. Please let us know your favorite in the comments below.


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

So You Think You Can Dance?

These pics and post come from Shannon Bundy, site supervisor at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder.

“Last night, Lana, John, and Mandy went with staff members to go see the “So You Think You Can Dance?” 2014 Dance Tour at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield. It was so awesome to see how much they all enjoyed this outing! John was dancing and laughing and cheering for the dancers. I have never seen Lana smile so big. And even though Mandy was not feeling very well, she enjoyed it and wanted to stay till the end. John says his favorite dancer was the ballerina.” 




Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Technology Tuesday

A group of University of Colorado Engineering students in a 2014 Fall Semester class taught by Associate Professor Melinda Piket-May spent the semester working on projects to design simple adaptive technologies that aid increased independence for some of the individuals Imagine! serves. Below are some videos of the students demonstrating their projects. The videos are short and well worth your time – this is some amazing stuff.

Resonating Head Band 

This device can act as a cost effective hearing aid (even works underwater!) or just as a fun way to listen to music.

  Can’t see video? Click here.

Ultimate Music Experience

This project allows an individual served by Imagine! who has a hearing disability to “hear” music through vibrations in water.

  Can’t see video? Click here

Smart Shower

Created to allow an individual served by Imagine! to shower independently through verbal prompts on an mp3.

  Can’t see the video? Click here.

Wheelchair Arm Support

Built for Gerald, who lives in Imagine!’s Santa Fe Group Home in Broomfield.

Can’t see the video? Click here

Monday, December 15, 2014

SmartHome Fiesta!

The residents of the Longmont Charles Family SmartHome were treated to a fiesta this week and enjoyed every bite of it! A big thank you to the staff members who made this outing possible.


Friday, December 12, 2014

Happy Birthday, Lana!



We’d like to wish a very happy birthday to Lana who lives at Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. Cheers to you Lana!


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Technology Tuesday

Today’s Technology Tuesday comes from Imagine!’s Assistive Technology Lab facilitator Stephanie Tilley. Stephanie is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist who has worked for Imagine! for more than 10 years, and is the author of “101 Adapted Games for Kids,” which provides adaptations for children’s activities to create inclusive activities and environments. In the piece below, Stephanie talks about an iPad program called Osmo


This week I’d like to highlight a program that we use on the iPad called Osmo. Osmo is an accessory that is added to the iPad which consists of a reflector that snaps over the camera of the iPad and a stand. The Osmo also comes with three activities: Tangrams, Words, and Newton. The tangible pieces to the activities are included in the Osmo and the apps are free from the app store. The incredible thing about this program is that the reflector incorporated the surface in front of the iPad right onto the screen. The Tangrams activity comes with tangible puzzle pieces that participants use to match the picture on the screen.

The program allows the iPad to recognize when the pieces are arranged correctly to match the picture on the screen. There are different levels of difficulty and more puzzles unlock the more that the activity is played.

For the Newton program it’s often helpful to have a few sheets of plain white paper and a pencil, pen, or marker available. Participants draw on the paper to create lines or shapes for the balls that are dropping from the top of the iPad screen to bounce off of. The object is to get the balls to hit targets on the screen. Besides drawing, other objects can be placed on the surface in front of the iPad and their outlines are incorporated into the activity as well. Often during class we use the tangram pieces and participants move them to different spots on the playing surface to make the balls bounce in different directions to hit the targets.

When using the words program, participants have the guess the words associated with the pictures on the screen. Participants then spell the words using tangible letter pieces that are included in the game, on the surface in front of the iPad. This activity can be played individually, with a group, or vs. another person. This activity has been used often during class as it encourages participants to work together to guess and spell the words. During one activity in particular, one participant had challenges with seeing the pieces, but was skilled at spelling, while the other participant had some challenges with spelling, but could easily identify the different letters. These two participants worked for a large portion of the class time working together and working on so many skills at the same time.

While using this program, participants not only work on skills such as spelling and shapes, but they work on social skills, fine motor skills, turn taking, problem solving, and thinking skills. This program has been such a wonderful addition to the Assistive Technology Computer lab Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department! You can find out more about the Osmo and check out a video of the program in use at https://www.playosmo.com/

Today Is Colorado Gives Day!


Today is the Fifth Annual Colorado Gives Day -- a great day to "give where you live." Each nonprofit receiving a donation on this day receives a portion of an Incentive Fund. This year, the Incentive Fund has more than tripled to $1 million! This means that Imagine! will receive a portion of this fund for every donation we receive, and will increase the impact of your generosity. Your gift will have a far-reaching impact on the clients we serve, and their families.

Click on this link to donate now, and write “SmartHomes” in the comments to support this vital project, as well as ensure that Imagine! receives a share of the $1 million Incentive Fund.

Help us reach $20,000 today -- you'll support people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Boulder and Broomfield counties.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Mandy's New Book

Our friend Mandy, who lives in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, has published another book! This one is called “Mandy’s Magical Christmas Story.” Learn more, including how to purchase the book and support this talented author, by clicking here.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Technology Tuesday

Today’s Technology Tuesday comes from Chris Baumgart, Imagine!’s Assistive Technology Specialist. Chris provides us the latest edition of a little segment he likes to call “Chris’s Corner.” Thanks, Chris!

Chris’s Corner 
"Down on the corner…Out in the Street…" 

It’s Tuesday once again, and it’s time for another Chris’s Corner. This installment of The Corner comes to you from the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, where John and Karen are both following in the illustrious footsteps of their roommate Lana. Recently, Lana achieved her goal of becoming self-reliant in the administration of her medications using a new computer-based medication task minder developed by Imagine! staff members called MedMinder.

If you haven’t seen it already, here’s a video of Lana using her computer to prompt her through filling a week’s worth of medications.

  Can’t see the video? Click here.

Inspired by Lana’s success, John and Karen are now using the same tools so that they too will be self-reliant in their own medication administration.



They’ve already shredded through the tests designed to determine how well they know their medications (which medications are taken, when they’re taken, how much is taken, what each medication is designed to do, etc.), and now the next challenge: actually filling a MedMinder box with test medications. Keep up the good work, you two! We’ll be checking back in to see your progress!

Monday, December 1, 2014

Happy Birthday, John!

Wishing the happiest of birthdays today to Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident John. Make it a great one, John!