Narrator: This is a CNIB Lake Joe @ Home program.
CNIB Lake Joe @ Home logo.
Image description. An illustration of a marshmallow roasting in a campfire with a roof in the background.
Sherri Helsdingen: So welcome, everyone.
To our Monday curiosity corner session, this is SmartHome by SmartLife with My Hy, who is, let me get this right, a head coach of the SmartLife program she's calling us today from British Columbia.
If i've got my facts right....
across the country, and so My, I'm gonna let you take it from here.
My Hy: Absolutely. Thank you so much, everybody so nice to meet all of you,
my name is My and I am the SmartLife head coach for CNIB,
so really, thank you so much for giving me this platform to speak with all of you today.
So part of my role is not only to really manage our SmartLife coaches or across Canada, but really have to provide you know that customer service for our clients and our participants.
But also get them to really engage to speak about exciting and new initiatives that come from our SmartLife centers
and really having them share that knowledge with our community.
So, just to give you a little bit of a background, I'm a lot of you are probably thinking what is SmartLife?
So, with 16 storefront locations and eight hubs across Canada, we really are Canada's largest retail store.
My: which not only houses like you know our everyday low vision age where I'm sure most of you may have purchased before.
But we really want to strive to be that go-to spot for educational and supportive needs when it comes to assistive technology and new accessible products.
So for those who are unfamiliar with SmartLife, we thought it was really important that, as our organization moved past our 100th birthday,
which was a big milestone... that we actually gave our shot CNIB be a renewed focus, along with a fresh, new look with inspirational branding that really aligned with our strategic initiative of live play work, learn and tech.
and then from that CNIB be SmartLife was actually created. My: We really wanted to focus on the user and customer service experience for a community when it came to that retail. My: Retail environment and, though, and through serving or low vision and blind community we realized that there really was a gap in the demand and understanding of technology advances. My: Within the assistive technology space, so really our Aha moment, which is kind of represented with you know by our light bulb in our seen it smartly branding was.
My: How do we really bring technology to our clients and really enabled them to experience all of that new technology firsthand.
My: It really become their go-to source, you know, with the latest and greatest when it comes to technology, so that's where our SmartLife centers were actually built from, so they currently hold a holistic field which, hopefully, you know as the.
My: As the restrictions get lifted from each province; you're going to be able to, you know, be able to go in and have a feel of it.
My: So it's still will host our everyday low vision on necessities, but it will also encompass more of high tech devices through our vast partnerships with our vendors.
My: And also carry assistive technology products for our community now with That being said, you know, one of our main initiatives for this year is really the smart home up by SmartLife.
My: Initiative, so a lot of you might be thinking what is a smart home by SmartLife.
My: it's a new initiative within our SmartLife branding to help pioneer all the great benefits and advantages of having a smart home device integrated in one's home.
My: it's really being able to showcase our community on how daily functions of a home can really be controlled through an accessible APP, you know, by using voiceover or by an assistant device.
My: voice-activated assistant and how these devices to really help improve the quality of life through assessment will independence.
My: You know, either for yourself or or your loved ones, so at the end of the day, really, our task at smart light centers is really to ask that question, you know how do we really bridge accessibility barriers and how do we move forward with sharing that knowledge.
My: Now, what is the smart home a smart home is an assessment home where daily functions of an appliance or device can be remotely controlled and specifically for our community.
My: it's bridging the accessibility barriers, you know to be able to now control devices or appliances from an APP.
My: without having to resort to memorization of keys and buttons from traditional appliances, so now being able to really have full access to inaccessible control panels.
My: Like the old sort of a stove and like you know appliances now if we take a look at you know, a smart home.
My: You know, just to give an example, it could be, you know, external doors that give you notifications of when someone is at the door, or you know for myself.
My: To be able to remotely lock it if I forgotten, you know God got to work and forgotten to lock my doors, I can easily lock it through an accessible APP.
My: it's about being able to turn your tv's or speakers on, you know, just through a voice assistant.
My: or having those kitchen appliances or washer and dryer that can be started remotely so you know getting that up and started.
My: To to get it to 350 degrees to bake your favourite dish or making sure that you've turned on your washer to that delicate stage.
My: So that you don't shrink your doggy sweater or you know your loving pets close also it's you know we can take a look at you know security cameras on the roof, just to ensure that you get.
My: notifications of any tutors on while you sleep or getting that thermostat to make it to the right temperature that you'll get on so making sure it's not too too hot like a sauna which I love, but my husband.
My: hates.
My: When it comes to sleeping so just making sure that you can actually control that, as well as thermostat.
My: Now, a lot of the questions I get is you know my, you know why what are the advantages having a smart home well, really what aspect of it is really peace of mine is really being able to control your home functions remotely.
My: which provides you that peace of mind, and knowing that you now have the freedom to check at any time, you know your daily tasks that might have provided you to worry and have that anxiety in the past, so for myself, you know, did I lock the doors or.
My: Are the burners on I'm able to check that through the accessible Apps, and also, we all know that you know just spice serving those who actually use smart devices, like the smartphone.
My: or let's just say Google assistant or a Google home, four out of five actually considered them to have daily positive impacts in one's life.
My: Also, another advantage of having a smart home is the assessment independence for those who live in the community.
My: That either choose to live by themselves or with loved ones is also being able to connect you know with the coven 19 pandemic.
My: Isolation was such a big concern for many, so smart home products can really help connect those.
My: With family members that are in isolation and friends that can family and friends, and it can really alleviate the stress and anxiety of one being able to now monitor you know I loved one's appliance or really gets security of the home overall.
My: It also provides our SmartLife centers as well as our sister company vision loss; we have to really work together to speak upon you know how one can really continue to live.
My: Independently longer within their accessible home.
My: So if you take a look at stats Canada, a quarter of Canadians that are actually aged 65 years or older are actually taking care of their spouses and according to stats Canada.
My: One-fifth of Canadians will be age 65 or older by 2025, which means that they're going to be, you know.
My: Greater demands for nursing and residential care if Canadian seniors are unable to manage at home, and we all know that with long term.
My: Care it can be very expensive, so it can be between you know, depending on the care you need, it can range from about $35,000 to about $200,000 annually.
My: Just depending on the type of care that you need so you know if you're able to outfit your home with a smart home.
My: you'd be able to have loved ones actually be able to also monitor you know your well-being at home as well, and really being able to say, less you know is done monthly leave the burners on.
My: Demand was, you know what did mom actually leave the charity day to go to the washroom you'll be able to actually check through all of that, you know, with cameras around the home and having smart home devices.
My: Now we've actually reached out to a couple of influential Members of our community to really get them to speak upon you know the advantages of smart home technology.
My: And you know, one of the testimonials that I'd love to read out is Jason fares, which you said smart home technology has really opened up.
My: A whole new world and accessibility and independence, the ability to use my iPhone or voice assistant device to set up and check the status of home appliances.
My: is incredibly liberating it provides a level of access that was either completely impossible or difficult to accomplish as a totally blind person.
My: Now that actually really touched me because you know the word liberating really stood out to me because you know just the ability to actually use your iPhone.
My: or voice assistant device to release setup and check the status of home appliances, you know the word liberating is what we're looking for it just to be able to do everything independently.
My: Now, currently, with our smart home by SmartLife initial initiative, we are.
My: Currently in Phase one, so what is phase one so we're actually looking into how we can really incorporate awareness of smart home technologies in our SmartLife centers by having smart home packages.
My: which are going to be created to speak to a lifestyle of a participant versus just some regular naming of a package.
My: So that lifestyle naming the packages have not yet been finalized, but packages are really there to eight participants and really understanding the possibility and intended use for each smart device.
My: And how it relates, and how it can really enhance once daily life interactions so, for instance, maybe like home sweet home.
My: Or the independent living package, which you know, showing a loved one the possibilities of how can one can monitor our family stove to see how long it's been left on or how the Google Home voice assistant can be implemented to Brian the loved one to not forget to take their medicine.
My: As well as we are in partnerships with our sister company, vision loss rehab, to look at aging in place services that allows vision loss rehab.
My: Specialist to assess an individual's ability to remain at home independently, which their health care professionals white to defy any current or future accessibility barriers; we are also looking at financing options because we understand that a lot of times, you know.
My: With you know, people are looking for that extra need to see what type of financing options are out there for these high ticketed sort of.
My: appliances, as well as devices also we've been speaking with Samsung and LG just to make sure.
My: That we are working hand in hand with them to see how it really benefits our community and how it can be approved with better integration to, you know, smart devices such as our apple products.
My: And Google products, we've also been establishing relationships with the brick and BestBuy as well, and really taking a look at that tech support for smart home devices.
My: And really have them understand questions that will help relate to our sort of clientele and how we can actually provide them that white-glove service.
My: We all know with technology, you know, sometimes it's great when it works, but when it doesn't work, we really want to have that support there for our clientele so that they are able to answer all the questions that one may have.
My: Also, with phase one, we're really looking with regards to having early adopters.
My: So this is super important having early adopters within BC and Ontario to really document their journey and gain valuable feedback in order to improve the program initiative.
My: So a lot of you might be asking, well, what is an early adopter well, it's actually classified as first customers to adopt a new product or technology before the.
My: majority of the population does so; if you're one that likes to pioneer for like change with our community, really be able to provide that valuable input.
My: and ideas for future accessibility, you know within product manufacturing and direction of the smart home by SmartLife, we are looking for you.
My: As well as you know, if you take pride in being a leader for our blind or partially sighted on community, we really want to be able to document express your journey and experience.
My: With this with the accessible daily living smart products for myself, I love to like I find real joy and excitement in regards to just spreading the word out.
My: To our Community, because I love to share and I'm always about resources and where you know, spreading that information to all my friends and my family, this is where we need your support in terms of early adopters.
My: Now, with the earned early adopters, it does come with its perks; you do get a financial incentive.
My: Which means that you know if you do want to start to outfit your home into a smart home by getting you know some of the devices, you will get them at a reduced price point.
My: Also, we will have early adopters recognition, which includes you and you know marketing publications, as well as a profile feature.
My: Also, we're taking a look at, um you know seen it connects Program.
My: which you will get you know information about you know CIPS yearly Braille a technology Conference, as well as get an entrance to connecting the dots which is Canada's largest educational and professional development conference.
My: Which is really focused on education, technology and employment for people who are blind or partially sighted.
My: I'm not sure if any of you have been to connecting the dots conference before, but it was fantastic we recently did one back in October.
My: which it was our first virtual one. It was amazing just to have you know, a bunch of topics that you know our participants were able to actually go in and learn more about.
My: Which is as well as our vendors so very, very great in that sort of sense, so I'll leave it at that; I know that there's probably a lot of questions that you may you guys may have, so I'm open to the forum in terms of questions.
Marsha & Butch: looks like Aaron has a.
Amy Lord: question you want to ask a question, Aaron.
Hi.
Aryn Bains: May I please have your name again.
My: Yes, it's my hi how are you.
Aryn: How are you.
Aryn: Good, the smartphone technology thing is so interesting can even be useful, and emergencies works out all right.
My: Absolutely, yeah, so we're working with our sister company we're.
My: taking a look at that side as well, in terms of emergencies, you know how one can actually link up to say a loved one through the smartphone if one has a fall, or if one can't get out of bed, so absolutely we're taking a look at that as well.