Technology Tuesday

An electronic version of Imagine!’s 2015 Annual Report is available online. An overview of our year, along with stats, stories, and successes to celebrate, are just a mouse click away. Click on the image below to check it out.

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Karen's New Experience

Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Karen is always looking to try new experiences. For instance, she had been hoping to try Indian food. So last week, Karen and Site Supervisor Shannon Bundy went to lunch at an Indian restaurant. Karen told Shannon she really enjoyed the flavors!

Getting Into The Holiday Spirit

The residents of Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome embraced the joy of the season recently by painting some Holiday scenes. The canvases were donated by none other than Bob and Judy Charles, who embody the spirit of giving all year around. Thanks Bob and Judy! Happy Holidays everyone!

Technology Tuesday

Last week we shared some photos of Jessie, who receives services from Imagine!, meeting with University of Colorado College of Engineering and Applied Science students who created a wheelchair canopy to protect her from inclement weather.

Jessie’s Case Manager, LeAnne Woodward, shared some more information with us about the project, and we wanted to share that info with you. Here’s what LeAnne told us:

Two groups of CU engineering students met up with Jessie and myself back in September and said that they were starting a project and would like to design and create a mechanical wheelchair canopy that will serve as protection from the rain and snow. Jessie and I met with both teams and the students asked her what she would like the canopy to do, what color she preferred, how she would like to maneuver it, etc. They took pictures and measurements of her wheelchair and I provided photos of her back-up wheelchair at home. 

The first group presented their project to Jessie on Thursday, Dec. 11. 

Group 1: Connor Sanger, Toby Wu, Shane Nicoson, Dylan Muise 

The canopy is motorized and uses two 9-volt batteries. There is a hand lever that makes the top canopy go back and it attaches to the base of Jessie’s electric wheelchair. It is fastened to her chair with straps. It has a grey canopy. It took the students four hours per day for two weeks to complete the project. I asked them what was the best aspect of the project and they said, “The challenge of making it. Seeing the project come to life and helping others.” They said that they enjoyed problem solving. 

Group 2: Claire Bice, William Weeks, Steven Karl (not pictured), Alana Hardin (not pictured) 

This canopy is manual but it folds back and hangs down from the back of the chair when it is not in use. It is blue with a plastic window and panels on the side to protect from the weather. There is a rope attached to the center of the canopy on the inside that Jessie can pull to bring the canopy forward. It attaches to the handles of the wheelchair. 

This group said that they worked on the project for ten hours per day for three months. This included a presentation, an expo and workshops (I’m sure this goes for both groups). They said they had other designs before this one but this design functioned the best. When asked what the best part of the project was, they said, “giving it to Jessie.” Jessie picked the color for this canopy. 

Just a side note, when I met up with Jessie and the students she was absolutely beaming in excitement and said that she wanted to drive home with the canopy attached. It was a pretty cool moment for her and the students. I’m glad I was able to be a part of it. Jessie says that she likes it much better than having a flag on her wheelchair. Jessie feels lucky to get the canopy right as the winter season is starting.

Thanks LeAnne for that detailed account of the project, and thanks Conor, Toby, Shane, Dylan, Clair, William, Alana, and especially professor Melinda Piket-May, who taught the class and supported the students throughout the semester.

Technology Tuesday

Below are some pictures of Jessie, who receives services from Imagine!, along with students from the University of Colorado. The students gave Jessie an early Christmas present – a retractable umbrella attachment for her wheelchair.

If you know Jessie, you know she is fiercely independent, and she travels around outside in her wheelchair all the time. Colorado weather can change in an instant, and having this attachment will help keep Jessie on the move, even when the weather isn’t at its best!

The attachment was created by CU Engineering students in Professor Melinda Piket-May’s class. Learn more about the CU/Imagine! collaboration here.

Technology Tuesday

 

Pictured above is Lana waiting for the bus. Lana lives in Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, and thanks to the support of Imagine!, Lana has been making great strides toward becoming more self-reliant. Technology has played a huge role in this move toward more self-reliance. Last week we shared a video on how a computer-based prompting system was used to increase Lana’s medication self-reliance.

Then, Imagine! took the next step. In order to start scheduling her own appointments, we devised a tool to create a mock phone menu so that Lana could practice calling in to her doctor and setting up appointments in a stress-free setting, until Lana was comfortable setting up the real appointment. And starting this week, Lana has begun using the bus to get to and from the medical appointments that she sets up by herself. Way to go, Lana!

Today Is Colorado Gives Day!

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Imagine! believes in the potential of all. We believe in babies, toddlers, families, and adults at work and at play.

Colorado Gives Day is today, and it is a great opportunity to support everyone's potential through a donation to Imagine!.

The Colorado Gives Day $1 Million Incentive Fund will boost your donation, making your dollars do more to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Incentive Fund is a pool of dollars, provided by Community First Foundation and FirstBank, to boost every donation made through ColoradoGives.org on Colorado Gives Day. For example, if Imagine! receives 10% of the total donations made on Colorado Gives Day, Imagine! also receives 10% of the $1 Million Incentive Fund.

Make your donation today, and thank you in advance for your support!

Congrats, Isaac!

Congratulations are in order for Isaac Marin, Assistant Site Supervisor at the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont, on being honored as one of Imagine!’s 2015 Employees of Distinction. Learn more about Isaac and the other recipients by watching the short video below. If you see Isaac, be sure to tell him “job well done!”
  Can’t see the video? Click here.

Technology Tuesday

We’ve shared before how Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Lana has used an interactive medication administration tool created by Imagine! staffers to become more independent when it comes to her own medication administration. The short video below features some Imagine! staff members sharing the story, including how Lana’s success inspired her housemates!

Can’t see the video? Click here.