Smart Home technology helps people with disabilities in Stark County

STARK COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - Organizations are working to help people with disabilities gain more independence in everyday life, thanks to technology.

The first Smart Home in Stark County is a model people are hoping to copy for more homes across Ohio.

“A smart home contains different appliances and devices that will help the resident learn about and build skills that will make them more independent,” said Hope Homes CEO Paul Herrera.

Hope Homes and Midwest Health Services worked with the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities to build the home, which welcomed its first three residents last month.

Herrera, the head of the non-profit, says the home is staffed with people from Midwest Health around the clock, but the tech is helping the residents make strides to becoming more independent.

“Our main mission is to provide affordable housing for those with developmental disabilities and special needs,” said Herrera.

In the home are appliances like a stove that will only stay hot when a specialized pan is on the burner.

A sensor in the living area senses when a fall has occurred.

ADA-grade bathrooms, a fridge that walks the residents through making food, and a security system that can get someone virtual assistance with the touch of a screen.

Herrera adds the resident and their guardian agree to a lease before moving into the home and hopes to build more than a dozen in the coming years across Stark County as well as working into the Cleveland area.

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