How Tech Empowers Disabled Lives: Carly Dauch on Need for Assistive Tech in Disability Services

Nick Speaks

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How Tech Empowers Disabled Lives: Carly Dauch on Need for Assistive Tech in Disability Services

S1 E44 • Jun 24, 2025 • 93 mins

Join Nicolas Comstock and Carly Dauch as they delve into the transformative impact of assistive technology in Ohio. Carly shares her journey and work with Wood County's services, discussing challenges in transportation, health support, and innovative solutions like virtual tours and remote support. They explore medication management, wearable tech, safety sensors, adaptive cooking, and smart home devices. Carly also touches on the assistive tech lending library, privacy concerns, and community involvement. The episode concludes with career advice for those entering the disability sector and reflections on job satisfaction within the Technology First initiative.

Key Points

Assistive technology can significantly enhance the independence and safety of individuals with disabilities, allowing them to perform daily tasks more autonomously.
The Tech House in Wood County serves as an innovative model, showcasing a range of assistive devices and technologies that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual.
Community involvement and partnerships, such as those with local libraries and parks, are crucial to making public spaces and activities more accessible and inclusive for people of all abilities.

Link: https://www.woodcountydd.org/health-supports - this page has both the device inventory and virtual tour. Carly Dauch, OTD, OTR/L is the Health Supports Coordinator for the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities (WCBDD). She is the Technology First lead for the WCBDD, where she oversees the Innovative Technology Grant, Region 1 Technology Hub, TwinTech 2.0 and all Technology First initiatives for the agency.  She has been in this position for 8 years.

GET THE BOOK: Trailblazing and Transforming: Success Stories of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities https://amzn.to/4k0mNs4

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Speakers

Carly Dauch

Guest • 68%

Nicolas Comstock

Host • 32%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction and show notes
1:43	Book promotion and GoFundMe campaign
3:24	Introduction of guest Carly Dauch
4:42	Carly Dauch's background and motivation
9:01	Assistive technology in Ohio and its impact
17:33	Wood County's assistive tech services and programs
30:10	Addressing transportation and health support challenges
33:09	Virtual tour and remote support features
38:42	Medication and wearable tech devices
46:40	Safety tech: Bed sensors and fall detection
50:08	Kitchen technology and adaptive cooking
55:16	Summer programs and daily living assistive tech
59:27	Smart home devices and staffing solutions
1:06:14	Assistive tech lending library and expansion efforts
1:16:38	Privacy concerns and tailored support
1:21:37	Community involvement and innovative grants
1:24:15	Sharing resources through tech hubs and human interaction
1:26:24	Planning and advice for working in the disability sector
1:29:38	Job satisfaction and the Technology First initiative
1:32:06	Guest participation and episode conclusion

Transcript

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