June 1, 2019
The Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba is putting its money on underage driving in the halls of 440 River Road and granting $50,000 for a smart home to be created on the premises.
When the CHCM Innovation Grants program was first announced, St.Amant’s leadership team challenged all staff to dream big and develop ideas that wouldn’t be possible without a grant.
Altogether, St.Amant staff teams came up with 20 unique proposals to address unmet needs in innovative ways. Two submissions from St.Amant were formally presented to CHCM, and they both came out winners!
Go Baby Go was proposed by Shannon Hargreaves and Marla Lulashnyk on the Clinical Services team. This program will provide 10 modified, riding toy cars to preschoolers who are supported by St.Amant.
Research has shown that independent mobility is linked to the cognitive, social, motor, language and other developmental benefits in young children. Being pushed in a stroller or carried around from place to place is fundamentally different from having active control over one’s own exploration, which is where the developmental gains are seen.
In their brand new cars, kids will be free to move around more independently, to socialize and play actively with their friends.
Inspiration Suite is the brainchild of Occupational Therapists Sharon Tan and Jane Lawler.
Their $50,000 bright idea will see the creation of a dedicated test room equipped with a variety of smart home technologies that people who live at 440 River Road can try out for themselves.
For people with a physical disability, opening a door, turning on a light or adjusting the temperature in a home can be difficult or impossible. With an intellectual disability, it can be difficult to remember to do certain tasks, turn lights off before leaving home or adjust the temperature before leaving or going to sleep.
Smart home technologies can solve these problems and the Inspiration Suite might even provide ideas for community homes of the future.
In letters from CHCM CEO Dan Lussier, the winners were congratulated for presenting impressive innovations that will make a difference in peoples’ lives.
Both projects will be highlighted in a video celebrating these and other Innovation Grant concepts. The winners are also invited to attend a gala at the CHCM Annual General meeting.
Of the 20 ideas proposed by St.Amant staff, almost all will be implemented through operational budgets or with support from the St.Amant Foundation.
Congratulations to everyone who took up the challenge and especially to Sharon Tan, Jane Lawler, Shannon Hargreaves and Marla Lulashnyk!