BOARDMAN, Ohio - From devices that can lock doors to radios that deliver local news to the visually impaired, advances in technology have made life easier, especially for people with disabilities.
A technology home created by the Mahoning County Council for the Developmentally Disabled shows how technology can help those who want to live more independently.
MCBDD supports research services and technologies to improve the lives of seniors, children, veterans and the disabled. They then take the best stuff they find to the tech house.
"We founded the technology house because we realized that everyone wants to be more independent and is concerned about security. "So we looked at them to see what was available," says Ashley Carocci, one of the four MCBDD service and support managers working on the technology. A house. . "You don't know what you don't know. But how do you know if it's something that might work for you until you actually see or hear it?
MCBDD supervisor and support services manager George Gabriel said there are now more than 200 items in the home and about 25 items in his office.
"A few years ago, Ohio was one of the states that had the technology," Gabriel said. "The idea is simply to understand the use of technology to increase independence so that you are less dependent on staff."
The more research they did and the more funds they were able to acquire, the more items Gabriel and the home support and services managers were able to add and showcase.
Most homes are controlled by Alexa, which can turn on the microwave for a certain amount of time and turn the lights on and off without pressing a button. even open and close the curtains.
An automatic tap and pour indicator on the bottle informs the visually impaired when the glass is full.
One of Carocci's favorite tech devices is the PenFriend, a device that allows a person to program stickers and magnets to provide directions or other information of their choosing. For example, the magnets on top of lunch boxes can be programmed to read the temperature and cooking time of the food inside when you touch the PenFriend. Stickers on hangers can be programmed to help color blind people recognize the color of their clothes.
PenFriend lets you leave messages for employees who can't read or have to hear multi-step instructions over and over again. It can be used and reprogrammed many times.
Other services and support manager Jeannine Baker displays weighted blankets, vests and other sensory items around the room, items designed to calm the anxious.
Doors can be coded for those unable to use a key. A mattress placed next to the bed can alert caregivers when someone is awake. A monitor in the bathroom can count how many times a person goes to the toilet at night. The device can read pennies, which helps a person distinguish between bills in a wallet. A variety of medical equipment can be found at home, from simple devices to high-tech devices.
With the push of a button, a person in a remote location can be contacted for emergencies or even non-emergencies.
"We try to imagine someone coming home alone at night. What can they use?" Gabriel said.
The program is funded by two grants from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, one for $20,000 and the other for approximately $17,000, as well as funds from the Education Service Center and in-kind donations from Ohio-based organizations or businesses that donate their items. The Office of Developmental Disabilities wants to show your home. Some items can be purchased through funding sources and everything at home can be ordered.
Various locations, agencies, physical therapists and disability aides are available to visit the residence. Mahoning County commissioners are scheduled to tour the home later this month.
Anyone can make an appointment to view the home by contacting Gabriel at 330-718-4815 or ggabriel@mahoningcountyoh.gov. More information about the technical house can be found HERE.
Pictured above: George Gabriel, right, supervisory services and support manager for the Mahoning County Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Jeannine Baker, services and support manager, tour the Technical Home in Boardman on Friday.
Copyright 2023 Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
