Task 1
In the present day society, technology is used for living a better life. The emails and mobile phones along with the usage of internet have made the communication process faster. The similar technologies are also helpful for the disabled people who need the social care and health support, therefore they can live independently. Before the technological advancements, the disabled people had no other choice than depending on others but due to the assistive technology, it has shifted to independent living. Some have also argued that the help of the technological advancements for the disabled people is not always ethically sound. They have stated that the technological advancements are trying to hamper the personal lives of those people as their privacy is being lost. In addition to the ethical issues, there are numerous obstacles foe the usage of assistive technologies. Through this report, the researcher will try to find out whether the usage of technology can help the disable person or not. Not only they, their family members and the heath care professionals can also be benefitted with the help of those technologies. However, they need to understand what technologies are available and how much independence can be gained through those. They should also know the implications and the barriers of the specific technologies that have been introduced. This report also includes the evidence of the impact of such technologies over the social care and health services. Through the case studies, the report has provided a complete investigation for understanding whether the assistive technologies are being helpful or not.
Technology can be used to assist users of health and social care services in living independently
Independent living is a philosophy and a different kind of worldview which enhances the movement of the disabled people to work with respect and determination. There are numbers of people who are with disabilities but they prefer living alone. They can also live independently like the normal people do. They can work out other alternate ways to deal with regular life and can work to enhance their determination and self respect. Nonetheless it should also be mentioned that they need suitable assistance from their friends and family to facilitate a successful living.
The disable people who use health and social care service, they can be provided specific services. The social care services are not only limited to specific cases, but there are numerous places that provide social cares like the hospitals, schools, day care centres, nursing homes and work places. The people who are disabled have the same rights as the normal people to utilize the health and social care services. In this case, Valentine makes full usage of many technologies such as tracking devices, GPS technologies, electrical monitoring, picture phones and meditation management in order to deal with dementia problem. Here are the significant areas where the dementia patient can use the assistive technology including monitoring, safety and others.
Technology can be used to assist users of health and social care services in living independently
Safety
The equipments for the dementia patients that are made under assistive technology are mostly designed to ensure their security and safety. For instance, in the care centres, when a dementia patient moves away from his or her limited areas, the motion sensor technologies can alert the staffs.
Monitoring
Generally dementia patients are prone to disorientation and wandering. Therefore, the motion sensor technology can be implemented at the exit points or the doors which will detect the exit and entry of the person to alert the other family members. GPS tracking device can be utilized to monitor the location of the person as well.
Communication
The video conferencing technology can be helpful for the patients when they want to communicate with their doctors or other health professions while they are at home. Assistive technology also provides the online communication tool which can help them while dealing with the social isolation issue. The World Health Organization states that these online communication tools can be helpful for the elder people and enhance their well being.
Reminders and Prompts
The assistive technology also includes the individual solution which can have a great impact on the healthiness, well being and self assurance of the patient. Automatic medication dispenser is one of the significant instances of this technology. This tool helps the dementia patients in sustaining the medication compliance. In addition to that, the direction clocks ate also helpful for people who are facing confusions regarding time, date or month or week or year. The location services can also help them in finding the lost properties.
Daily Living
Assistive technology tools can assist the regular well beings of a person. The gadgets such as the temperature sensors used for the automatic climate control, dishwashers, light activation, automatic windows, garden sensors for the automatic watering and the electronically equipped toilets and traps. In the case of Valentine, who is 85 years old woman with the dementia problems, the assistive technology tools like tracking devices and GPS services are the best options for her. There are clocks which are especially designed for the dementia patients, therefore these can help Valentine in dealing with her day and night confusion. Therefore she can be more independent and can control her daily life. This case study has also shown that when Valentine left her house early in the morning, no other family member knew about that. In that situation, use of GPS tracking device can be done. This device can be attached to the patient and the respective alert system will inform her son or the caregiver that she has been moving. This will ensure her safety. She can also use the picture phone for the community purpose. These phones come with the buttons where the photos can be placed, so the dementia patients can just push the button when they need to call any of their relatives.
Safety
The assistive technology is generally an umbrella term that describes any of the objects, items, system or any device that helps the people to perform their jobs, which will be a little difficult for them otherwise. These tools can help the vulnerable people to lead their life in a safe and secured way in the care centre or in their home. This case study focused on the dementia problem of Valentine. In this case the assistive technology tools are quite easy to handle therefore easier devices can be cooperative for them to stay independent even of the person is suffering from dementia issues.
However, the patient needs proper technical support and training before using such devices. Limited battery lives of these devices are the most crucial barrier. Therefore the care giver should take care that the devices are fully charged. The battery life is more exhausted, more the person is transmitted their places. Also the cost of such devices should be taken care of, as the usual cost of a GPS device is $200 to $400 with a monitoring fee of monthly $50.
In the health care organizations the cost effectiveness of such assistive technology tools are the biggest advantage. Most of the long term technological adaptations are less expensive than the conventional home care devices. As a result to that the health care centres can reduce their extra cost. These tools in the home care systems also allow the managements to facilitate a more safe and secured environment for patients.
The users, who have some kind of disability, can have following benefits:
- Greater control of their lives
- Able to take part in daily activities properly and frequently
- Able to live with independence
- Improved self-motivation
Activity 1
Shelter’s older Persons Housing Support Service or (SOPHSS) provides assistance of the older people, especially whose age is over 60 in maintaining their housing. The primary aim of the scheme is to assist the older people so that they can stay independent as much as possible. This scheme also empowers them in order to exercise the rights and choices to stay independently in a comfortable and safe home. The Hosing Act 2004 had replaced the fitness standards which were previously utilized in deciding whether a property is safe enough for the human habitation with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. In the provided case study, it can be seen that site manager is accessible only in the office hours. Therefore if there is any kind of problems arises before or after the office hours, there would not be any responsible one who can provide sufficient support to the old woman. The Supporting People Program had also released in 2003 that delivers the housing related support for the older people so that they can live independently. Under the program, the housing departments and the domestic health department work in partnership in addressing the hosing related support that the vulnerable people need to live independently.
Activity 2
Monitoring
It was stated by the Audit Commission report of UK in 2004, that telehealth and telecare are the two assistive technology tools that can provide assistance of the older people who are living alone by minimizing the earlier discharges from hospital. In 2005, ‘Building telecare in England’ was released by the Department of health, where it was stated that the telecare will offer to keep the promise of enabling older people to live independently. This report was also correspondent with the £80 million grant that will enhance the preventive technology. This launch of the preventive technology grant enhances the suggestion of the usage of assistive technology as the traditional care option. In Scotland, The Telecare Development Program was launched which also had the similar goals. Later in 2009, the government had also taken the five year strategy named “Living Well with Dementia.” This strategy was also aimed to increase the understanding and awareness of living independently, supporting and the initial diagnosis of the problems.
Activity 3
Service users:
The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals which launched the Disabilities Act Amendments of 1994 in USA, had declared that the assistive technology can be useful for the people who are fighting with their individual disabilities. These technologies are also helpful for the disable people in order to have control in their lives. In addition to that, the assistive technology also helps the disabled people in a way that they can perform and participate in the household activities. By using these technologies, the disabled people can communicated with other people in the society. In this specific case, the older woman is able to communicate with her care giver or the security personnel of her complex by the effective usage of the assistive technologies in any kind of emergency situation.
Family:
The safe and sound health of the disabled member is the basic concern of the other family members. For instance, the manager of the housing complex is only accessible in the duty hours; therefore the old woman cannot get assistance from him other than a fixed time, even if there is any emergency situation. In such situation, there should always be a family member who can stay with her for the safety purpose; however this may hamper the independent living of the old woman. However, through the help of modern technologies, her family members or any other family of other patients can make sure that they are safe and secured. Just as we can see in the case study where it can be seen that the woman is living alone in a complex, but if she falls sick, she can use the assistive technology tools to contact her relatives as soon as possible. In addition to that, she can also alert the support members in her complex. This will make the family members relieved that she can contact them at any time.
Communication
Housing complex manager:
All the rules and regulations at the housing complex do not meet the government regulatory policies. The manager is only available for a certain time therefore he cannot be accessed otherwise. However, if the assistive technologies are implemented in the complex, it will ensure that any resident can ask for help, while required. These tools will also enable the easier communication between the manager and other residents.
Care professional:
The health and social care professional can also monitor their patients with the help o the assistive technology. However, they need proper training and development for the establishment of the necessary knowledge and skills for operating and understanding the tools. For instance, a health care centre that uses the Bluetooth Nany technology for monitoring the patients, the caregivers should know the adequate use of the tools. Telecare is also used vastly for monitoring the patients from a long distance. Therefore the workers can get automatic messages while they are away in the emergencies.
Activity 1
A person with abnormal mental condition and emotional state always need special care. These kinds of persons can be defined individual with the special needs. These individuals need extensive care from their family members and caregivers. However, when the mental ability gets reduced the person suffers from dementia. Therefore they start depending on other sue to the abnormal state of mind. This is the primary reason why these people need extensive care and less judgemental people do not criticize them for their state of mind. The care giver of such people needs to be sensitive and empathetic towards dementia, even if the patients are unable to communicate. Most of the times, these patients like to socialize and talk to other people. Therefore the care givers should help them in going out.
In this case study, Valentine is a woman of 85 years who has been diagnosed with dementia. However, she is a lady who loves to socialize and also a chair person of a charity. Therefore she is responsible for making the presentation of that charity as well. Generally, she used to wake up early for attaining several activities around the day. However, after the diagnosis Valentine has become disoriented with her regular activities. Therefore she needs few particular service providers who can support her independent living, such as:
Personal assistance:
She should receive adequate personal assistance from the care givers for ensuring that their regular habits such as the morning walks, meditation, drinking, eating habits. The care givers should also assist them in the household work, transport, shopping and other necessary activities.
Reminders and Prompts
Night care:
For taking care of Valentine in the night times, the home based night services are required. In this situation, a permanent care giver may be selected for her during the night times, so that she feels comfortable at night.
Palliative care:
As Valentine is suffering from dementia, she can avail the palliative care. She has the right to chose whether she needs this service at home, or outside. The supervisor needs to be appointed who can coordinate with Valentine and the other service providers. Therefore the supervisor will be accountable for all the services she is availing.
Counseling or therapy support:
Valentine should receive support for the counselling and therapy from their individual care givers. In most of the cases related to dementia, it was indicated that mainly the verbal skills of the patients tend to deteriorate as the disease develops. If there are adequate therapy and counselling support, it will enhance the psychological and emotional wellbeing of the patient.
Holiday, social and leisure activities:
The dementia care package should ensure that they offer the patients in maintaining their left behind abilities. Their care givers should ensure that the patient has sufficient social contact and exercises meaningful activities. In this case Valentine used to socialize a lot, therefore this should be taken care of that she maintains her social life as much as possible. The care giver should help Valentine while he is out and her other activities should also be taken care of.
Activity 2
For Valentine, some particular assistive devices are recommended that will help her in living independently without anybody’s help.
- Valentine can sue temperature sensor to recognize if there is any kind of smoke and gas in the house. It will help her in taking care of there is any kind of fire issues at her home without other’s help.
- An electronic mat can be put on her bed, which will send the signals or alarm to the family members or the care giver if there is any kind of unusual activities.
- Valentine can also use the locator services as she has the habit of leaving home without providing any prior information.
- Valentine can also be given hearing aid, as she is not being able to hear other’s voices. It will help in enhancing her communication and verbal skills.
- She can also use the calendar clock, as she may not remember the exact date due to Dementia.
- Personal Digital Assistance or PDA can be used by her as well.
Activity 3
This particular activity refers to the concern of the family members of Valentine. They should remember that no mental disease can be cured entirely. Therefore different assistive technology tools were suggested for her so that she can live independently and at the same time she can prevent her risk factors herself.
When a dementia sufferer uses different digital assistance it helps to enhance the memory about their daily activities. In this case, the digital devices can assist her to remind what has to be done next. For instance the calendar clock will be the most useful for her. She can also remember the necessary tasks that she has to do throughout her day. However, there is one major problem with the assistive devices is that it s difficult to master initially.
The locator devices can be used so that the family members can keep a track of her while she goes out. The electrical tags can be attached with her while she goes out of her home. The device can also help the dementia patients if they are lost somewhere. The main drawback of this assistive device is that they can easily disrupt their privacy.
Daily Living
The device, PDA, can be utilized for their personal digital assistance, but this tool also has some drawbacks, such as she may forget to carry the device with her with the development of the disease. Therefore this device will not be much useful for her anymore. However, the electronic devices cannot be not much helpful for Valentine as she is quite old, therefore she may not be very comfortable in using the devices.
Conclusion
After analysing the related facts with the assistive technologies, it can be concluded that the disabled people and their respective family members can be benefitted by the devices to a great extent. From the given case study, it can be understood that she is losing her self-respect due to her disease and the related issues. At the same time serious threats were given to her because of the disease. However, the assistive technology tools such as GPS tracking device, picture phone, and clock can be helpful for Valentine in living a normal life. However these devices can be a threat to her privacy as well. There are different government rules and legislations that have been established to protect the individual privacy. Therefore this cannot be a barrier for them as well.However, it should also be noted that in order to use such devices, the patient and their family members should be comfortable inn using these devices. Their assistance is always required to overcome the difficulties with the devices. However, from the given case study it can also be understood that only the technological devices are not enough, the assistance of family members are required at the same time.
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