Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse
George Gabriel, service and support administrator supervisor for the Mahoning County Council of Developmental Disabilities, shows a unique stove safety device that can shut off the gas line when the stove is left on without activity.
BOARDMAN – In years past, people with developmental disabilities had to have aids to help them go about their daily lives.
Today, thanks to changing technology, the person can live more independently and still function in a safe environment. The technology was on display at the Mahoning County Council on Disability Advancement “Tech House” in Boardman.
The house has a variety of equipment and technology that can be shown to clients. Depending on the need, one, some or all of the technologies can be used to make life happy, worry-free, board officials said.
“The Tech House has been up and running for about eight months now,” said MCBDD service and support administrator supervisor George Gabriel. “The house allows our clients to imagine and experience the tools available.”
Gabriel said the idea came from a $10,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Because of the grant, MCBDD was able to develop four technical experts trained in the latest technology. Four trained experts are entitled service and support managers.
To demonstrate the technology available, SSA needs a place to provide it all.
“It started in my office with just a few tools,” Gabriel said.
To display a variety of technologies will require more space, so why not home? Jibril said Medina and Cuyahoga counties each have tech houses. As for MCBDD, it does not have one yet, but the house on Glenwood Avenue behind Boardman Plaza is already owned by MCBDD. According to Jibril, it served as a group home, but two years ago, it was vacated.
“We were going to use it as a COVID-19 shelter, but with the current technology at the forefront, we said, let’s do this,” Jibril said.
With the grant, Jibril said vendors are being judged on their technology and equipment that can benefit people with developmental disabilities and those who want to be more independent. The response was overwhelming, and companies like THS, Wynn-Wreath, and Safe-N-Home jumped on board and offered training on their devices.
For the past eight months, a home in Boardman has been filled with high-tech equipment and is now a showroom for things that can make life more comfortable for people with disabilities. Technology starts at the front door.
“We have four different hubs in the house to manage the equipment and run the house,” said SSA Guy Young.
He said a hub like Alexa is used to do everything from seeing who is at the door, to raise or lower the blinds, turn on the lights, turn on the television or play music.
In the bedroom, the device amplifies the existing alarm device. A special bed is connected to a device that senses smoke and carbon monoxide. When one of the devices goes off, a sensor will turn on a motor connected to the bed that shakes it violently, waking people up so they can get out of the house.
Another interesting device is the control box that sits on top of the stove. The device senses the burners are on, and if there is no action around the stove, the gas is automatically turned off.
Items in the kitchen and bathroom, such as microwaves, soap dispensers and faucets, can be turned on by simply speaking to one of the hubs.
Some of the technological devices are self-contained devices such as pill dispensers that can dispense pills for two weeks, or feeding devices and jars for those who can shake hands.
Other advanced tools include some that are not electronic. There is a strap that can help hold a spoon or fork for those who want to eat by themselves. There are jar lid openers that allow for more pressure, or even an automatic opener that does all the work by itself.
The technology and tools available today are almost endless and the tech house has most of them, Jibril said, adding it all comes down to matching the right item with the right client.
“It starts when people with disabilities show interest,” he said. “They are met by one of our SSAs, who helps them choose the best fit in their lives, then a team meeting is held and the person is set up with the equipment and technology chosen.”
Young said six months after a client is set up, a review is done to make sure the tools and technology are working for them and to see if other tools can help.
Jibril said many clients have traveled home and worked with the SSA. He said the program could be extended when school resumes later this month.
“We want to open this house to special needs teachers, so they can see what’s available,” Jibril said.
He added that down the road technology houses can be provided for those in the home for the elderly. It can also be used as a test house.
“Now there is no one living there,” Jibril said. “We hope to get to the point that we can spend a week here with people to see what works for them.”
For now, Tech House will serve to showcase what is available in a hands-on format.
“The Tech House allows us to imagine and see devices,” Young said. “It’s better than looking at online reviews.”
