Self Care Assistive Technology
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Top Contributors - Ewa Jaraczewska, Jess Bell and Kim Jackson
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Timely access to assistive technology for people with disability, advanced age individuals, and people with health conditions allows them to maintain and improve function, health, and wellbeing. It facilitates active participation in school, work, and during social activities.[1]To reduce barriers in accessing assistive technology, healtcare providers on products availability and its safe and effective use in daily life.
Self Care[edit | edit source]
Self-care is "the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote, maintain health, prevent disease and to cope with illness." [2] --WHO
Traditional occupational therapy perspective on self-care include:[3]
- An individual's ability to complete activities of daily living (ADL), or personal activities such as eating, grooming, and bathing.
- Functional mobility including the ability to move safely in a variety of environments.
- Community management involving grocery shopping, driving, taking public transportation, managing finances.
Self Care Activities in the ICF[edit | edit source]
The ICF offers a standard language to define and measure self-care activities. They include washing oneself, carrying for body parts, toileting, dressing, eating, drinking and looking after one's health. [4]
ICF clinical practice tool can help to identify problems from the clinician and patient perspective and provide basis for planning an intervention. An example of such a tool is The Rehabilitation Problem-Solving Form (RPS-Form). It facilitates the assessment of a patient by various health professionals and allow to address all components of self-care activities including environmental and personal factors. The RPS-Form enhances patient's participation in the decision-making process of rehabilitation.
You can learn more about ICF application in clinical practice from this article.
Assistive Technologies[edit | edit source]
"Assistive technology is an umbrella term for assistive products and their related systems and services."[5]--WHO
"Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capability in performing everyday tasks and activities."[6]-- Ana Gugrenidze
Examples of self-care assistive technologies include the following:
- Bathing, grooming and toileting aids
- Dressing aids
- Meal preparation and feeding aids
Assistive Technology and Functional Independence[edit | edit source]
Assistive technology can improve daily functioning of an individual. However the literature has found high rates of non-use of assistive products.[7] Up to 82% of prescribed equipment is used by older adults, but it decreases over time. To help promoting the use of this equipment, the healthcare professionals professionals know what factors are associated with the utilisation of assistive products. [7]
The following factors can influence the rates of use prescribed assistive technologies:[8]
- equipment suitability (good fit)
- adequate training
- pre-prescription home visits
- personal factors such as age, sex and various health conditions[9]
- personal resources
To help promoting the use of this equipment, the healthcare professionals should:[7]
- complete a systematic assessment of technology needs
- offer an individualised advice about the services of provision of assistive products
- train on the appropriate use of the devices
- be aware of grants and leasing systems to facilitate access to assistive products
- perform periodic assessments of the assistive product needs indicated by changes in the person's functional abilities
Assistive Technology Assessment Tools[edit | edit source]
The outcome measure for assistive technology has not been well established, but literature suggests the following domains:[10]
- device usage
- device effectiveness
- device efficiency
- user satisfaction
- quality of life impact
- social role performance impact
The following assessment tools can be useful in measuring the above outcomes:
- Canadian Occupational Performance Measure
- The Individually Prioritised Problem Assessment (IPPA)
- The Matching Person Technology (MPT)
Resources[edit | edit source]
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References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Zhang W, Eide AH, Pryor W, Khasnabis C, Borg J. Measuring Self-Reported Access to Assistive Technology Using the WHO Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) Questionnaire: Protocol for a Multi-Country Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 17;18(24):13336.
- ↑ Self-care interventions for health. WHO 2024. Available from https://www.who.int/health-topics/self-care#tab=tab_1 [last access 17.02.2024]
- ↑ Laposha I, Smallfield S. Self-Care: An Occupational Therapy Student Perspective. Journal Articles: Occupational Therapy 2022;6.
- ↑ Abrilahij A, Boll T, Ferring D, Valsiner J. A systematic review of self-care assistive technologies for aging population. Cultures of care in aging. 2018 Jun 1:273-313.
- ↑ Assistive technology. WHO. Available from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/assistive-technology [last access 17.01.2024]
- ↑ Gugrenidze A. Self-care assistive technology. Plus Course 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Steel DM, Gray MA. Baby boomers' use and perception of recommended assistive technology: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2009 May;4(3):129-36.
- ↑ Kraskowsky LH, Finlayson M. Factors affecting older adults' use of adaptive equipment: review of the literature. Am J Occup Ther. 2001 May-Jun;55(3):303-10.
- ↑ De-Rosende-Celeiro I, Torres G, Seoane-Bouzas M, Ávila A. Exploring the use of assistive products to promote functional independence in self-care activities in the bathroom. Plos one. 2019 Apr 8;14(4):e0215002.
- ↑ Lenker JA, Paquet VL. A review of conceptual models for assistive technology outcomes research and practice. Assist Technol. 2003 Summer;15(1):1-15.
