Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Technology Tuesday

For today’s Tech Tuesday post we’d like to share a brief story about “Dan.” Dan didn’t want to use his real name, but he did want to tell everyone about his new cell phone and how he’s using it to navigate through life and his community.

Dan tells us that his busy work schedule can be difficult to remember, so with help from some Imagine! staff members, he set his phone so that each day before he leaves the house the phone “speaks” to him (using Dan’s pre-recorded voice) to tell him his next work destination. Additionally, if Dan ever needs to double-check his schedule, he can ask Siri to check his calendar to see where he's supposed to be.

Dan also is thrilled to be able to use the phone to take of his favorite music with him when he’s out and about, and is using the phone’s camera to share his creativity through photography.

Dan’s new phone offers new opportunities for him to thrive and succeed, and we can’t wait to hear more!

Monday, February 22, 2016

A Day For Fitness

Two Saturdays ago, Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome staff member Margaret Kuwata organized an outing to a local 24 Hour Fitness Club for an opportunity for the residents to enjoy some exercise. Under Margaret’s supervision, Johnny was able to use his walker freely at the basketball courts and was able to walk the most that he had ever walked. This is such a huge achievement for him since he was told he would never walk again and he is now able to walk in the community. Both Mandy and Karen lifted some weights and used their resistance bands at the gym. Rebecca used the weight machine, and Rae rode the stationary bike for an hour. Staff members Nick Aquino-Roithmayr and Kevin Gray accompanied Margaret and the residents. 24 Hour Fitness generously provided free admission for the day, and we thank them for their support.






Thursday, February 18, 2016

SmartHome Girl’s Day Out

Last Monday was Girl's Day Out for the ladies living at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder. Staff member Margaret Kuwata organized the event so that Lana, Rae, Rebecca, Karen, and Mandy got their manicures done for free at Jlounge Nail Salon. It was Lana’s first time at a nail salon! Jennifer Zrubek (one of the owners at JLounge) and India (nail artist) donated their time, and we offer them our sincere appreciation.

Can’t see the video? Click here

After the pampering was complete, Margaret took the crew to the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. The General Manager of the Teahouse, Matt, gave the ladies 50% off the entire meal, for which we are also very thankful!

 Check out some pictures below.






Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Guess Who’s Touring The SmartHomes?

Touring Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder yesterday: Camilla Vogt, Legislative Assistant/Legislative Correspondent for US Congressman Jared Polis.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Technology Tuesday

Today marks the 14th work anniversary of Kevin Harding, Imagine!’s Director of Information Technology. What better time to share some historical perspective about Imagine!’s technology use, as written by Kevin back in 2013 as part of Imagine!’s “50 Years, 50 Stories” series? Of course, even some of what Kevin says below has changed over the past three years as we at Imagine! continue to keep on top of the latest in technology and explore how it can make us more effective and efficient with our service delivery.

The Evolution of Technology at Imagine! 
By Kevin Harding 

Kevin Harding in the early 2000s

Technology, and Imagine!’s use of technology, have come a long way in the last 50 years. The first real personal computers to be commercially available, the Apple II and TRS-80, were introduced in 1977. Back then Imagine!’s case managers would hand-write individualized plans. If anything needed to be typed, they would use a dictation machine recording to a cassette tape, and an administrative assistant would do the transcribing on a typewriter. At least the typewriters were electric.

The first computers to come to Imagine! arrived around 1979 and were used in the business office for accounting. There was no network or central file server. In the early eighties, the administrative assistants began to get computers to replace their typewriters. There were no fancy laser printers, but instead dot matrix printers attached to individual computers were the norm. The Microsoft Windows operating system we’re so familiar with now wouldn’t be available until 1982 and not widely adopted until version 3.0 was released in 1990. Imagine!’s first computers were running DOS, Microsoft’s disk operating system, and using WordPerfect for word processing.

On one occasion in the early 80s, when a document needed to be typed up and four copies sent out, the administrative assistant’s computer started to malfunction. A certain Executive Director who shall remain nameless thought he could fix it. He instead broke it to the point that the four copies were completed by hand to make the deadline.

If I were to go back 50 years in a comparison to today, I would be comparing paper and typewriters to computers and laser printers. So here is a picture of what Imagine! was using 20 years ago compared to today:

                            1993                2013 
Servers                 One                  18 
Server storage     1GB               10.6TB 
Workstations       24                   163 
Laptops                0                    167 
Internet Access   Dial-up    28.8Kb/s Dedicated T-1 4.5Mb/s 

Our Internet is 156 times faster, and Imagine! could store one half of the written content of the Library of Congress on its servers. If you own a smart phone that was purchased in the last two years, you have more computing power than the file server and more storage than all the computers that held all of Imagine!’s electronic information 20 years ago.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

A Trip To The Butterfly Pavilion

Last weekend, residents of the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome took a trip to the Butterfly Pavilion. The trip was coordinated by staff member Kevin Gray. They all enjoyed seeing the beautiful butterflies, and Karen was especially excited to tell everyone that she held the spider!



Wednesday, February 10, 2016

John Celebrates Broncos Super Bowl Victory

John recently attended a Broncos Super Bowl celebration. Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome staff member Ian Griffin took him and told us John had a blast, and was dancing and cheering the whole time! At the rally he was high fiving everyone and said, "This is so amazing!"


Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Technology Tuesday

Here’s a short video of Gerald, who lives in Imagine!’s Santa Fe Home, using his DynaVox (a computerized communication device attached to his wheelchair) to independently dial up his contacts on Skype.
  Can’t see the video? Click here

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Technology Tuesday

At Friday night’s Imagine! Celebration, we honored Gerald, who receives services from Imagine!. Technology has played a huge role in Gerald’s success and transformation. Check out the video below to learn more.
  Can’t see the video? Click here