Do you want to live in a Smart Home?

DCM is looking for people who have information about smart home applications or questions about how technology can help you. 

Smart home technology is adding accessibility to many home decisions. It seems that almost every feature of your home can be controlled remotely. And not with just any remote, like the old garage door opener, the remotes may be automated and voice activated. Like in the past when many of us collected three remotes simply to control the TV, cable and VCR, you can have a handful of remote controls to manipulate from afar.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the Center was a progressive leader in helping to bring remote technology to people with disabilities. In his book, Shielded By God, Franklin Forester tells how he set up a controlling device for people with disabilities. Some people could control multiple appliances with a single switch, or they could make selections with a sip-and-puff control. 

Now, however, there are many additional applications around the home that may be controlled remotely. It is easy to see how these can have an impact on accessibility. And the type of control can add to accessibility. With items connected to the Internet, you can control them from anywhere and with smartphones and applications it may be more accessible than ever. 

Many home tasks that are automated for convenience, can also be accessible for people with disabilities.  Voice-activated assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant allow individuals with limited physical mobility or dexterity to operate overhead lighting, trigger smart plugs, and adjust window shades hands-free. The convenience for people without disabilities can be access for people with disabilities and accessibility can also be convenient. There is no reason our community cannot also enjoy the convenience that smart home technology can provide. In entertainment and making routine the things you like to do. But, also helping to make the things you do not like to do simpler and easier. 

Midsouth summers bring intense heat and high humidity. Smart thermostats may enable residents to schedule automatic cooling or adjust indoor temperatures. This feature is intended to save energy and money for most homeowners, but for people with disabilities, the convenience becomes access. 

Smart locks and video doorbells are becoming common. They may also eliminate the physical struggle with traditional keys and door knobs. Residents can view visitors on a phone or tablet screen and unlock the front door remotely. Seeing, hearing and speaking to people at your door is becoming very familiar. Unlocking remotely can be the accessible feature of the remote door. But you need the ability to see or hear who you are unlocking the door for. While many people use audio and visual doorbells and the price is coming down, it is the unlocking feature that is typically the most expensive. 

Smart smoke detectors, water leak sensors, and bed-exit monitors provide immediate, automated alerts to off-site caregivers. These applications can help during an emergency, or be part of a safety net while respecting the user's personal privacy.

Planning for access can help you avoid having a different remote or app for each item you add to your home. Some providers will merge accessible smart devices with local support networks.  Smart home technology can offer Memphians of all abilities greater autonomy, peace of mind, and more independence in their own homes.

If you are looking into smart home applications, whether for accessibility or convenience, let us know. We hope to help Memphians find the access they need with independence in mind. Call the Center (901-726-6404) or email us at info@disabilitymidsouth.org

Federal Grant Changes Could Put Independent Living Services at Risk

DCM and Independence adds value to the community

 

By Christina Clift

At Disability Connection Midsouth, federal funding helps us provide services that allow people with disabilities to live independently, advocate for themselves, and participate fully in their communities. A proposed change to federal grant rules could make that work much harder.

The Office of Management and Budget has proposed major changes to the rules governing federal grants. If finalized, the new rules could make it easier for federal agencies to end grants during a funding period, even when an organization is meeting its requirements. They could also allow funding decisions to be influenced more heavily by changing federal priorities. The National Council on Independent Living has warned that the proposal could create instability for Centers for Independent Living, increase administrative burdens, and create uncertainty around advocacy, accessibility, and outreach activities. (National Council on Independent Living)

For Disability Connection Midsouth, this is more than a funding issue. It could affect our ability to plan programs, maintain staff, conduct community outreach, and provide consistent services. It could also make organizations more cautious about speaking up when policies or systems create barriers for people with disabilities. Very simply, the insecurity with the IL grant makes DCM less of a community resource for other programs that develop independence, produce greater self-reliance and save state and local taxpayers money. 

One of the guiding principles of the disability rights movement is:

“Nothing about us without us.”

Centers for Independent Living were created so that people with disabilities could have a strong voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Advocacy is not an extra service—it is a central part of independent living.

Uncertainty in federal funding ultimately affects the people we serve. When community organizations cannot depend on funding that has already been awarded, they may have to delay programs, reduce services, postpone hiring, or make other difficult decisions.

The proposed rule has not yet taken effect, and discussions about its implementation are continuing. Disability Connection Midsouth will continue following this issue and working with our state and national partners to protect the Independent Living Program.

Stable federal funding allows Centers for Independent Living to focus on what matters most: removing barriers and helping people with disabilities have greater choice, independence, and control over their lives.