Qld Inclusive Community Champion finalist
The Inclusive Community Champion program has recognised the Queensland Smart Home Initiative for being a local business/service provider that provides a fully accessible and inclusive service.
Finalists for the award were voted by members of the Inclusive Community Champion initiative, all of whom have a spinal cord injury (paraplegia, quadriplegia, post polio).
Professor Jeffrey Soar was acknowledged along with the Queensland Smart Home Initiative for providing leadership in innovation to support people with disabilities.
Professor Soar was appreciative of the acknowledgement but insists there is more need for organisations to be considerate of people with special needs.
“It is well documented that Australia’s population is ageing and consequently the number of people living with a disability is also on the rise,” Professor Soar said.
“The Queensland Smart Home Initiative demonstrates that there are alternatives and solutions that allow people with special needs to maintain their dignity and independence in the home.”
This allows people to gain a greater understanding of what assistive tools exist as well as providing the opportunity to trial and learn about them before installing them in the home.
The Queensland Smart Home Initiative and its demonstrator smart home was created by a consortium of organisations including LifeTec, Tunstall Healthcare, the University of Southern Queensland, the University of Queensland, Council On The Aageing, U3A Online, Queensland Health and the Home and Community Care program in Queensland, who share the goal of empowering people with solutions for independence.
The Queensland Smart Home Initiative is located at LifeTec’s premises in the Reading Centre Newmarket, Corner of Newmarket and Enoggera Rd in Newmarket and is open to the public.
