ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A new house was built in Anderson Township to help those with developmental disabilities better care for themselves without in-person support.
Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled built the house with state-of-the-art technology so people who would normally need in-person support can live mostly on their own.
The house is equipped with a fingerprint scanner for the front door and smart appliances like a washer and dryer, which can be controlled remotely by support staff. There is also a system called GrandCare, which allows people inside the house to communicate face-to-face remotely with staff members.
Matt Chaffin, 36, is hydrocephalic and has a serious visual impairment that resulted from being born with fluid on his brain. He has lived in this new home since the end of September, and he said living in the new house is like a dream come true.
"It's something that he's always wanted but we never thought we would see," Sue Chaffin, Matt's mom, said.
Matt lives in the house with three other young men who have disabilities. Each roommate has their own space that helps with their specific needs.
"The number one thing it's done is brought him back into a community of three other guys," Ernie Chaffin, Matt's dad, said. "It's really changed his world drastically."
And importantly, Sue and Ernie feel comfortable knowing their son is on his own and well taken care of.
"We feel secure that he has a good place to be if something should happen to us as we grow older," Sue said.
Click here to take a virtual tour of a house similar to Matt's home.
