Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Mandy has been writing original stories and poems for the Imagine! employee newsletter, using voice to text technology. Check out her latest story, entitled “The Halloween Adventure!”
The Halloween Adventure
by Mandy
The holidays are upon us. One of the holidays is the last day of October. The kids get to dress in their costumes and have a parade at school. The kids get to have parties in schools too. That meams they get sugar and treats. It's a parents nightmare. The kids come home from school and they are bouncing off the walls. The teachers don't make phone calls. The teachers don't care if the kids swear. Halloween is not over yet. After it turns dark you can only see the stars in the midnight Sky. The only light we had was the light from the moon. We saw a witch on her broom. The kids went door to door and asked for candy.
Happy Halloween! The kids were tired and they went home and went to bed.
As proud as we at Imagine! 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 Parts One and Two below, Hope, a individual served by Imagine! (but not a SmartHome resident) is using technology to learn the first step in communicating on her own by pushing a button to indicate choices. That may seem simple, but for someone like Hope, who has never had the capability to verbally or physically indicate her preferences to others, the simple act of making his own choice is a profound first step toward independence.
The videos also demonstrate how Imagine! is taking a system-wide approach to implementing technology to improve the lives of those we serve. Part One takes place at Hope’s Group home, a residence that is specifically designed and operated for people with significant developmental and physical disabilities. Part Two takes place at Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source department, which provides day services for Hope and many others. This helps bridge the learning process between the two services and sets her up for success in a more complete way.
Have you checked out Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome resident Donna’s blog lately? She added a couple of new posts this week – details on how she spent Halloween and a report on her visit to the circus. What did she find funny about the circus? It wasn’t the clowns – so I guess you’ll have to read her blog to find out!
Yesterday, we had guests touring the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome from several states. Our guests included Scott Bowling, President and CEO of Exceptional Children's Foundation in California, Jeremy Bramlick from Minnesota, Chris Valcek from Nebraska, Terry Whitworth from California, Allan Pressel, of CharityFinders.com (who joined the tour via Skype), and Chris Valcek from Nebraska.
Imagine! has built two SmartHomes which incorporate the latest technologies to improve the quality and efficiency of service and supports for people with disabilities.
