Chapter 7. Assistive Technology in the Home
and Community
for Older People: Psychological and Social Considerations
Overview
A persistent finding in research is the strong
preference of older people to remain at home
as they age. Family members involved in the
care of frail older people share this goal.
With the dramatic aging of American society,
it becomes increasingly important to fully understand
the role of AT in maximizing human potential
and the manifold consequences, negative and
positive, in using AT strategies. In this chapter
I have explored the role of AT with older people
and showed that its use supports seven important
life domains (see Table 7.1), from physical
functioning to higher order competencies, such
as social and leisure engagement and continuation
of a sense of personhood. As a preventive, rehabilitative,
or long-term care strategy AT use may provide
multiple benefits, including postponement of
relocation or nursing home placement, ability
to access cabinets and rooms, and a return to
a sense of normalcy and personal comfort. There
are a number of special considerations in providing
AT solutions to older people and their family
members. Chief among these is the need to involve
the potential user in the assessment process
and derive AT solutions that support the particular
areas of difficulty identified by the potential
AT users themselves. Foremost among the changes
necessary to service delivery is provision of
repeated opportunities for accessing AT solutions
as people age and experience changes in their
level of competency.
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