Signature Class Visits Smart Home
On January 26 and 27th, the Signature Class of 2023 visited the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities Smart Home. They discovered amazing assistive technology available to help individuals live independently and for the community to try before they buy.
Comments from the class:
“Thank you for the wonderful tour of the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Smart House today. It was wonderful to hear from you and learn about all the different services offered by Medina County Board of DD. I have to say, I think our class was beyond impressed with how you and your team are operating! I loved the ‘mock’ room and how you’ve incorporated assistive technology into the everyday tools and appliances to increase communication and independence for those with developmental disabilities. I was great to see in-person how you’ve included accessible technology, such as Alexa and remote monitoring services, to create a more independent living environment for both the individual and the caregiver. The work you and your team are doing there and for our community is a level at which we should all aspire to be at. You are making such a difference and impact, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Thank you for all your incredible work in our community and for your time and dedication to educating our class today. Much appreciated!” Julie Haas
“This was a great tour! Your staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. Their passion for the people they serve was evident.” Ruth Patton
“I thought it was incredible! I love learning about all the resources in our community. I love that this exists for those with disabilities in our community and can help them establish some independence. I also love that the smart house is open to everyone in the community to get information and ideas on how to approach their specific situation. Thank you for this opportunity! Keep doing a great job!!” Jason Ivory
“This was a great opportunity that opened my eyes to some of the novel things that help people, from small everyday objects to fancy tech that I didn’t know existed. It got my innovative-leaning mind thinking “what else would be a helpful item for people with developmental disabilities to have?” versus the usual “what is some new invention that someone would need/want”? It’s so important to think of everything from different perspectives and angles and seeing just a glimpse of these items in the Smart House Tour provided that. We really take for granted the things we use every day. I’m so encouraged to see how companies are proactively thinking about how to be inclusive to those with disabilities. Very cool! Thank you for the opportunity.” Catherine Young
“Phenomenal and eye-opening tour! The technology was amazing and the mission to support individuals to live independently is so inspiring. Very important and compassionate work being done at the MCBDD!!
Thank you for your time this morning.” Mary Toth
“Thank you for having us! I really enjoyed hearing more about MCBDD and getting the opportunity to experience firsthand how innovative a “Smart House” is! It is apparent how passionate you all are in creating a lifestyle for our community that is tailored to specific needs. It does not go unnoticed how hard you work to eliminate barriers for our community. We are lucky to have such an awesome program in Medina County!” Ashley Krause
“I absolutely loved the experience of touring the Smart home! I feel that it provides an invaluable service to those who need it in our community! I am also very excited to know that senior citizens have accessibility as well. I never truly thought about how difficult simple tasks for those with disadvantages. I am also inspired to think of things that may assist my father and other aging people around me. Thank you so much for this opportunity!” Brooke Mott
“I was very impressed with the thoughtfulness and creativity of the many solutions that MCBDD team developed. The balance of finding inexpensive (or free) solutions vs. very costly high-tech solutions was striking. Great work by the MCBDD team, it was very evident that they are extremely passionate about the work that they do!” Isaac Smith
“I enjoyed the visit to the Smart Home. It is great to see the way technology improves the lives and independence of people with disabilities. I took note of a few items that may be helpful in my own family. I think this is a great asset to our disabled community in Medina County and also beyond as you collaborate with other counties as well. I’m sure it is helpful to see these items before buying as well as your staff has tested many things. It was interesting to hear the stories of how they thought something would be helpful and then it really wasn’t once they tried it. Thanks for arranging this tour and having the staff available to speak with us. Very much appreciated.” Kaci Wright
Interested in learning more about the Smart Home? Contact Connie Jack, Assistive Technology Specialist at 330-725-7751 ext. 243 or connieh@mcbdd.org.