Thank you to 3i Housing of Maine Board Member, Mitch Sturgeon for writing this piece on assistive technology. Learn more about Mitch on his blog, Enjoying the Ride.
Early in the formation of the 3i Home concept, we decided to implement smart home technology as assistive technology in all of our accessible units. But in order to achieve that goal, we would need a team of experts, forward thinking organizations, and passionate individuals. Here are some key players in that coalition.
Technology Partnerships
Dan Ding, PhD is an associate professor and researcher at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories. She is a leading expert in the field of smart home technology as assistive technology. She has expertise in assistive robotic devices and systems.
Dr. Ding and her associates are partnering with 3i Home to develop smart home systems for the pilot project.
Chris Delenick, OTD, OTR/L is an assistant clinical professor. He will partner with Dr. Ding to provide Occupational Therapy services for assessing assistive technology needs, training residents in the use of assistive technology, and following up to monitor progress and address outstanding issues.
Maine’s premier healthcare organization will assist us in setting up telehealth systems and health monitoring systems for our residents.
Internal 3i Technology Team
Connie Munroe — Senior Consultant at the Barrington Consulting Group, Halifax, Nova Scotia
With a master’s degree in nursing, Connie has a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and healthcare sectors. She is skilled in healthcare consulting and clinical information systems. Connie is a member of the technology team at 3i Home.
Adam Pride — Application Delivery Manager at L.L. Bean, Freeport, Maine
Adam is an experienced IT manager, strong in team building, operations management, and leadership. Adam is a member of the technology team at 3i Home.
Mitch Sturgeon — Author, Disability Advocate
A retired Professional Engineer, and a person living with significant physical disability, Mitch is a self-taught expert in using smart home technology as assistive technology. Mitch is a member of the Board of Directors at 3i Home and co-chair of the technology team.
Michelle Wurgler — Director of Strategic Planning at Martin’s Point Health Care, Portland, Maine
With over 25 years of knowledge and experience in public/private sectors across retail, manufacturing, technology, and service industries, Michelle leads, plans, and executes strategic initiatives for optimal performance. Michelle is a member of the Board of Directors at 3i Home, and cochair of the technology team.
Our Path Forward
The technology team, with input from our partners, is in the process of finalizing our philosophy, goals, and strategy for making our residence as accessible as possible for people with physical disabilities.
Already we have applied for a variety of grants to help fund our mission, and our current fundraising efforts will be a key to continued progress. At 3i, and among our partners, we plan to do great things for the disabled community right here in southern Maine, and eventually beyond.
Join us for our online fundraising event, Innovation! Join us by helping us raise $10,000 to support our assistive technology efforts as we plan, build partnerships, and ensure our space will have all of the assistive technology residents need to live independently, confidently, and safely.
** Thanks to our event sponsors, all new monthly gifts this week will have the 2022 value of their gift matched 3:1 and all one-time gifts will be matched 1:1 (up to $2,500)!