Definition of Assistive Technology
There are many definitions of assistive technology. Here is
one from a European Rehabilitation Technology project, which I located in book
about choosing assistive devices:
Assistive technology is “ any product, instrument, strategy,
service and practice, used by people with disabilities and older people – specially
produced or generally available – to prevent, compensate, relieve or neutralise
the impairment, disability or handicap, and improve the individual’s autonomy
and quality of life” (Jensen cited in Pain, McLellan and Gore, 2003, p.14)
This definition
is wider than some business dictionary definitions, and I like it as it
includes not just products but practices, not just disabled but older people,
and prevention, compensation and neutralisation of problems.
Reference
Pain, H.,
McLellan, L, & Gore, S. (2003). Choosing
assistive devices; A guide for users and professionals. London; Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
One example of assistive technology from Star Mobility
One piece of
equipment available from Star Mobility and Disability Services is a talking
photo album. The idea is that each page of the album is accompanied by an oral
description of the photo and who is in it, and what the person was doing (or
similar). These sounds are recorded into the album’s in-built microphone by
family members or caregivers (or the owner of the album themselves, where
feasible). As each page is turned, the user pushes a play button and a message
of up to 10 seconds can be heard. (Star Mobility, 2012).
The album need
not be used for photos. It can contain drawings, timetables, stories, messages,
or sequences of instructions accompanying pictures (for example how to bake a
cake).
The product could
be used for a variety of disabilities involving cognition and memory, but the
supplier specifically mentions the usefulness for dementia patients (Star
Mobility, 2012).
The price is
$98.00. The album comes in 3 sizes, A5, A4 and A3.
Relationship with occupation
This assistive
technology could help particularly with occupational transition, as an early
dementia patient begins to need aids and prompts. It could help slow their
transition and decline in function to further stages of dementia, where
occupation becomes less and less easily carried out.
It also helps
minimise occupational deprivation. It
has been said that it is not a person’s disability which deprives them of
occupation, but something external in the environment. (Whiteford, 2010, p.320
). One example of such deprivation might arise because a dementia
client’s family is too busy or frustrated by having to repeat things over and
over, to help the person cook a cake. The album could counteract this, by
enabling the client to carry out the occupation of cooking a cake with help
from the talking album.
Links
Here are links to
3 You Tube clips showing talking albums and examples of their use.
The first shows a child using the album to prompt the sequence of his morning routine:
Even though this clip below is in Spanish, it shows good close ups of the recording and play buttons and how to record for a page.
This final clip below is with dementia patients in Adelaide. Mention is made of the impact voice can have to stir memories when the patient is looking at a photo. Also, the albums are used to calm patients who may be getting upset or aggressive due to their condition.
References
Whiteford, G.
(2010). Occupational deprivation: understanding limited participation. In C.H.
Christiansen & E.A. Townsend (Eds). Introduction
to occupation: the art and science of living (2nd Ed). (pp 303
-328). New
Jersey: Pearson
