This document discusses designing an enabling home environment for Fred and Gina that incorporates smart home technology. It describes features like keyless entry to prevent being locked out, an ambient kitchen to encourage independence and socializing, a smart living room for skills training and telehealth, a motivating bathroom with music to encourage personal care, and resources for education on relationships, finances and safe internet use. The goal is to create a private, accessible home that supports their needs and independence while reducing costs through energy-efficient and budgeting tools.

1. Designing an enabling
environment
Our thoughts about Fred & Gina

2. A slightly different structure...
• As the "ideal" solution for Fred & Gina would appear
to be a purpose-built home, which serves as an
enabling environment, the next slides will comprise a
"walk through" of such a building - beginning at the
front entrance.
• The technology described would work together to
comprise what is currently referred to as a ‘Smart
Home’ (or sometimes Home Automaton).
• Such homes are increasingly being used as
mainstream technology. Click here for one
commercial Smart Home planner.

3. Accessing the building

4. Where are the keys?
If Fred & Gina are living
alone, they may lock
themselves out of their home
(leaving their keys inside).
Whilst a key safe may be
used, this relies on
remembering the pass-code.
A key-less entry system such
as the ekey overcomes this
problem, whilst maintaining
their independence.
Watch the YouTube clip here

5. An enabling kitchen
environment

6. The ambient kitchen (Olivier et al, 2009)
Gina has consistently expressed a desire to live the life of a
'traditional' houswife; and she is likely, therefore, to want to be
able to engage in kitchen tasks as much as possible.
It would also be good to encourage Fred to be actively
involved in domestic tasks in the home.
Contemporary solutions such as the Ambient Kitchen move
away from simply enhancing functionality, creating an
interactive environment that allows ongoing skill development.

7. The Ambient Kitchen (Olivier et al, 2009)
As you explore the Ambient Kitchen's facilities, consider how the
various resources might also be of use to the previous case
scenarios that you have explored.
For example, the medication reminders embedded into the kitchen may
be of use to Brian.
Similarly, smart technology being
designed for other service-user
groups could be incorporated into
Fred & Gina's flat.
The Cognow Project, for
example, may help in training in
tasks for people with learning
disabilities, as well as dementia.

8. A "smart" lounge

9. Making the living-room into an
assistive living-space
The Cognow project mentioned earlier in this presentation (and
discussed in more detail in the last Learning Unit) may again
provide useful facilities for Fred & Gina's new home.
The Centre for Usable Home Technology has developed a
Responsive Home to test out various equipment, including a tele-
consultation facility and a TV screensaver.
However, Fred & Gina's right to privacy should be honoured -
allowing them control whether they are monitored or not.
Many of the items mentioned for previous case-studies may also
be relevant.

10. A Motivating Bathroom

11. A motivating bathroom environment

12. Using technology to assist
motivation
Fred does not appear to find personal care
particularly important - but he is motivated
by music.
A bathroom that includes music may
therefore encourage him to use its facilities
more.
The video on the previous page shows a
specially-adapted shower - but these are
becoming more commercially available
(e.g. using light and sound).
Many other mainstream and sensory room
resources could be similarly employed.

13. Keeping costs down

14. Strategies for helping expenditure
One risk with making use of so much electronic technology
is that bills could increase significantly.
This problem may be exacerbated if Fred & Gina have problems
with money management.
Three strategies may help in this regard:
1. Incorporating user-friendly software into the home for skills training.
For example, try the Money Manager within the Elizabeth Fitzroy
Sensory House (please note, some service-users may not feel this
is age-appropriate).
2. Using "Green" technology to create a more energy-efficient Smart
Home. The British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers
Association (BEAMA) have a useful list of technology that may help
in reducing energy costs.
3. Using a free online budget planner to help manage their finances.

15. Safer relationships

16. Appropriate behaviour on and offline
Healthy
sexual
rela-onships
• There
are
resources
available
online
to
assist
with
educa3ng
adults
with
learning
disabili3es
about
sex
and
rela3onships
(e.g.
NetBuddy).
• The
Family
Planning
Associa3on
have
created
an
interac3ve
DVD/CD
called
‘All
About
Us,’
where
users
can
explore
these
issues
in
privacy
or
with
a
carer.
• There
are
also
Apps
available
to
aid
sex
educa3on
&
appropriate
behaviour
for
adults
with
learning
disabili3es,
such
as
‘All
About
People.’
Staying
secure
online
• Safer
Net
is
a
website
designed
specifically
for
adults
with
learning
disabili3es
to
suggest
the
do’s
and
don'ts
of
online
behaviour.
• They
can
take
a
fun
but
educa3onal
quiz
online
to
test
their
knowledge
and
suggest
some
changes.

17. Thinking about the future

18. A family home?
Fred & Gina's story may only just be beginning!
Gina has already made it clear that she wants to
have children - and any housing for the couple
must cater for this eventuality.
As a final thought, therefore, you may wish to
consider how technology could also assist Fred
& Gina (or any other disabled people) in
developing and maintaining parental roles ...