Usage Of Technology In Providing Support For Independent Living

The Role of Technology in Supporting Independent Living

Independent living is an opportunity for disabled, old-age people as well as for all those who are weak in some aspects of life such as in terms of financial conditions, ability to manage things, thinking power, etc. As all these aspects play vital role in respect of living independently and the main motive of this essay is to discuss the requirements of diseased as well as disabled in relation with providing them support for living freely as well as independently. This essay has been segregated into three parts under which each part has its own specifications in relation with the usage of technology and the impact of technology while supporting living independently. The first part of the essay will focus over usage of technology for the purpose of supporting independent living. Further, the second part of the essay will focus over the implications of development over technologies in terms of usage of technology in health and social care centres. The last of the essay will include recommendations in relevance with the independent living especially for the users of health and care services.

Explain how technology can be used to support users of health and social care services in living independently.

From past certain years, advancement in technology has speed up the rate of living of individuals. Technological advancements are increasing with the effect of passing time, increase in the requirements and demands of individuals. With the help of technology, various unique and advance ways have been created and developed which have helped in smooth functioning of life. In relation with living independently also, technological factors plays vital role and improvement in medicines efficiencies as well as origination of unique machineries are creative as well as innovative inventions of technological advancement. With this regard, technological factors help individuals to face disabilities in an effective manner. Disabilities are the primary reasons which become barrier in terms of accomplishment of the daily necessity tasks. Disabilities directly or indirectly occur due to diseases and in relation with removing those barriers as well as for confronting the challenges occurred due to disabilities, technology and its related inventions help an individual[1].

For continuous improvement in the technological factors and development of medicines, medical practice and an individual’s positive attitude is necessary. Although, these practices does not directly help an individual in improving his/her living but these two aspects definitely help in inventing those aspects which helps the individual in terms of enhancing the rate of living independently. It has been analysed that disabled people does not know much about the advanced tools or medicines available in the market. Apart from this, lack of funds is another major factor due to which disabled people could not avail the services and benefits of advancements available in the market. In relation with the scenario given in case study, Sally, a 42 year old woman suffering from multiple disabilities such as tingling, double vision, and numbness in left feet. She is also consulting a neurologist for diagnosis of the multiple sclerosis[2].
With regards to her condition, it has been recommended to the Sally to use assistive technology and tools related with this technology. This technology is sufficient enough to deal with the multiple disabilities and patients could execute its daily operations in an effective manner along with the ease. Role of assistive technology is also effective in enhancing learning capacity of an individual and this feature helps the disabled people in relation with executing the required tasks of the daily life[3]. In addition to the learning capacity, assistive technology also helps an individual to mark up the communication skills due to which disabled people like Sally could easily communicate with other people along with consulting with the neurologists and doctors in an effective and appropriate manner. Following are certain benefits of using assistive technology for Sally:

• Technology advancements like assistive technology help the individuals like Sally to enhance their quality of life.
• With the use of tools of assistive technology, Sally would easily be able to communicate her issues and challenges to other people and doctors through which appropriate measures could be taken at the right time.
• Using assistive technological tools, Sally could also live independently and freely at her home along with performing the basic tasks as well as avoiding admission in health and social care centres in regular intervals for support[4].

Implications of Technological Development in Health and Social Care

Needs of ever individual differs from each other and same goes with the diseased as well as with the disabled people. This is because diseased people require special attention with regards to providing support. This helps them to get recover at fast pace. As per the case study, Sally is facing multiple sclerosis, double vision, etc. diseases which have made her a disabled woman and in relation with improving her state of condition, it is necessary for health and social care services with the help of technological tools[5].

• Multiple sclerosis cannot be detected at initial stage;
• There is no antidote available in the market to cure multiple sclerosis;
• Number of symptoms is associated with the multiple sclerosis.

In relation with providing appropriate measures for curing the diseases and for providing support, assistive technology and medicines play vital role. In certain conditions, users face various barriers in relation with using assistive technology.

• Technological factors do not create much impact on severe diseases.
• Depressing patients cannot use assistive technology.
• Due to multiple symptoms and ailments of multiple sclerosis, assistive technology cannot offer expected relief.
• Lack of information about of technology and low skills for operating technology is another major barrier for the users in terms of using it.
• Apart from the above barriers, lack of awareness and the lack of belief over technological improvement also act as barrier.
• Insufficient funds are another barrier in terms of using advanced technological measures for supporting living independently and freely[6].

Using assistive technology and its related tools and measures provide benefits to both health and social care organizations as well as to their users. Primary reason for advancing technology as well as for inventing unique measures is providing support for disabled people in relation with living independently and freely[7]. Multiple sclerosis has multiple symptoms and to cure every symptom, patient requires to get admitted in the health and social care centres[8]. Technologies used by health and social care centres and by individuals are different. Health and social care organizations also treat patients with multiple sclerosis diseases with assistive technology in order to gain positive outcomes. In relation with dealing with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, following technologies plays vital role:

• Decision supper System (DSS), IT and telecommunication.
• Usage of robotics in surgeries
• Development of super specialised surgeries
• Mobility of assistive technology
• Disease modulating medication [9]
• Personal digital assistants

Benefits of these technologies to users:

• Helps in improving living standard
• Improves behaviour of users
• Interactive abilities increases along with learning capacity
• Helps in performing basic daily tasks on time along with ease

Benefits of these technologies to health and social care organizations:

• Improves efficiency of treating patients with multiple disorders
• Experience increases and as a result, severe diseased patients could also be cured easily
• Dealing with patients with multiple sclerosis also becomes an easy task.

Explain health and safety considerations in the use of technologies in health and social care.

Every individual analysis his/her condition in daily routine and find difference which cannot be felt by anyone else. In relation with this, when they does not find as per the normal daily routine, they take medicines or reach to the doctors for resolving the challenge or issue faced by them. In relation with, health and social care centres provides treatment for every challenge and issue faced by the individuals so that they could get back to the normal state[10]. With regards to the treatment provided to the patients, health and social care centres are required to adopt appropriate and effective safety considerations. This helps the centres to enhance their efficiency along with building a reliable image amongst the patients and their family members. Along with this, for the continuous improvement in the functionality of organization, they are require to adopt appropriate training and development programs through which they could treat the patients in the required manner as per their condition. Below are some of the safety considerations which are required to be followed by health and social care centres in relation with using assistive and other technologies:

• Information regarding the diseases and disabilities faced by patient needs to be given to the employees working in the health and social care centres.
• Along with this, it is required to provide them information regarding the utilisation of technological measures available with the centre in relation with treating patients in more effective manner[11].
• Quality measures and benchmarks needs to be set up while using the technology
• All legal consideration should be considered while implementation of technology in order to avoid glitches.
• Regular training and development sessions needs to be conducted for the employees of health and social care centres so that assistive technology and other related tools could be used in an effective manner along with analysing the situation in terms of requirement of thee technology.
• Controlling and monitoring measures needs to be imposed while using the technology so that miss-utilisation could be avoided[12].
• Usage of technology could also result in negative outcomes, thus, negative outcomes needs to be analysed before implementation of technological measures in relation with generating positive outcomes[13].

Recommendations for Independent Living and Health Care Users

Following ethical considerations needs to be considered while application of technologies in health and social care organisation:

• Confidentiality: It is the duty of every health and social care centre to adopt certain measures through which clients’ details could be kept in safe and secured manner. With regards to this, it should be ensured that patient’s private details, their disease related details, etc. could not get leaked. Although, health and social care centres promote their work by showcasing their achievements and in relation with this, they are required to take permission from patient first in order to avoid any type of copyright or other types of glitches[14].
• Right to self-determination: In relation with this act, every individual has right to choose appropriate services with regards to the health and social care centres to choose one of the best amongst the available options.
• Along with these requirements, it is the duty of health and social care centres to serve effective services to the patients without considering organization’s benefit. People with specific needs and severe cases should be treated on priority basis in comparison to the patients with other diseases[15].
• While treating employees, it should be taken care that no small mistake would occur because it could generate huge negative results.
• Before changing treatment, using technological measures or while operating patients, it is necessary for the supervisors and doctors of the health and social care centres to take permission the guardians or family members of patient in order to avoid glitches.
• Developing public relation is also necessary for the health and social care organization and in relation with their operations, developing and maintaining public relations is very necessary in order to enhance the performance of the organization along with gaining sustainable growth and development.

It is required for every organization irrespective of their nature, scope and industry type to adopt change management after a certain period of time. This is done with the objective of meeting customer’s requirements. In health and social care centres, certain part of revenues and profitability needs to be invested in the research and development department so that rapidly increasing new diseases could be controlled by making an effective antidote in the initial stage only[16]. Along with this, technological advancement has also been a great invention in the health and social care centres for the betterment and sustainable development.

Creativity and innovation has also always been a major aspect of the in terms of dealing with the latest and dynamic requirements in every field. Health and social care centres are also required to adopt unique and innovative measures with the objective of dealing with the severe diseases in an effective manner[17]. Impact of technology over health and social care centres, its employees as well as over its users is huge and it would be analysed by following aspects:

• Technological aspects have eased health and social care centre’s employees job because treatment have become effective as well as easy with the adaptation of technology[18].
• Sally and other people could live freely and independently with the use of assistive technology. As per the case study, Sally is not even able to perform its daily tasks but with the help of assistive technology, she has been able to manage its daily basic tasks.
• Employees as well as the health and social care centres could easily enhance their skills with the implementation of technology in its operations[19].

Identify the specific needs of an individual requiring support to live independently

According to case study, Jane is a 59 year old woman suffering from multiple diseases like Diabetes, Epilepsy. Along with this, Jane was also suffering from learning disability along with low mobility. Due to chronic heart issues, she had a heart attack few months back and for the same she was admitted in the hospital for almost one month for curing heart and other diseases. After such severe diseases, Jane decided to live independently and this decision was not going in her favour[20].

With regards to maintaining the needs of these patients, government has set up certain health and social care centres where patients who want to live freely and independently without taking support from anyone else could live. Patients that have specific needs require smooth operations, special care and an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)[21]. Following are different specific needs that assist in supporting Jane in her condition. Following are certain specific needs of Jane:

• Less sleep
• Partial seizures
• Amputations
• Damaging nerve
• Less vision
• High stress level
• Balance problems
• Lack of communication

The above discussed symptoms of diseases faced by Jane, following issues and challenges may also be confronted by Jane are as follows:

• Blurred vision, urine increase and weight loss
• Itching skin, excessive thirst, fatigue
• Lightheaded and dizziness
• Challenge in following instructions, directions and in making schedule
• Issue in driving, cooking, typing on keyboard

In relation with Jane’s independence, following specific care needs to be practiced:

• Specific training modules needs to be designed so that Jane could be analysed so that she could be served with appropriate and required treatment[22]
• Behavioural and speech therapy classes
• Regular exercise
• Controlled meals
• Effective communication exercises
• Keeping busy so that diseases could be cured.

Jane wants to live independently and following are some of the assistive technologies which will support her in further independent living:

• Devices for message reminding: This device will help Jane to remember necessary tasks of daily routine such as taking medicines, consulting doctor, exercise, etc. Apart from this, this device will also help Jane to remember his relatives which will help her to stay connected with her relatives[23].
• Location detector: Location detector will also help Jane to enhance her living standard. In scenarios where she will forget the roads or directions to visit to a certain place, this location detector will help her to get the directions as well as to reach to certain place[24].
• Other sundry devices:
• Device for medication
• Fitness tracker devices
• Daily fitness trackers
• Movement assistive technology (MAT)

Advancement in technology helps the health and social care centres in terms of providing support as well as fulfilment of specific needs to the patients. With the help of technology advancements such as assistive technology, patients like Jane could easily live independently and freely along with providing assistance so that patients could easily support patients[25].

Apart from this, health and social care centres’ efficiency have also been increased with the usage of technology. The popularity of connected health or technology-enabled care (TEC) has become immensely popular which assist healthcare experts in providing better services. For example, an online platform is Spine which supports IT infrastructure in relation with health and social care centres in United Kingdom along with joining more than 23,000 experts in healthcare and 20,500 IT systems in those centres. Thus, Spine is considered as the backbone of National Health Services (NHS) of England[26]. 

Conclusion

From the aforesaid discussion, it can be concluded that people suffering from disabilities and severe diseases require special assistance and care so that their needs could be fulfilled. It has been observed that after certain age, people want to live independently and freely but due to certain reasons such as diseases and disabilities, they are not able to live freely which results in aggression and depression. Technology has helped these people to live freely and independently along with performing basic tasks in an effective manner. Along with the technology advancements, health and social care centres also plays vital role in providing support to these types of people. Thus, this essay has evaluated various aspects of living independently and freely along with the use of assistive technology and other technological measures.

References

Aveyard, H., 2014. Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Bennett, P., 2010. “Oxford University Press”, Risk communication and public health.

Brett, J., Staniszewska, S., Mockford, C., Herron?Marx, S., Hughes, J., Tysall, C. and Suleman, R., 2014. Mapping the impact of patient and public involvement on health and social care research: a systematic review. Health Expectations, 17(5), pp.637-650.

Burton, J., 2010, “WHO Healthy workplace framework and model: Background and supporting literature and practices”, World Health Organization.

Carpenter, J., Webb, C., Bostock, L. and Coomber, C., 2017. Effective supervision in social work and social care. Health.

Coughlan, M. and Cronin, P., 2016. Doing a literature review in nursing, health and social care. Sage.

Dahlgren, D. and Whitehead, M., 2017. European Strategies for tackling social inequalities in health: levelling up part 2. Health.

Ding, D., Cooper, R.A., Pasquina, P.F. and Fici-Pasquina, L., 2011. Sensor technology for smart homes. Maturitas, 69(2), pp.131-136.

Farzadfar, F., Murray, C.J., Gakidou, E., Bossert, T., Namdaritabar, H., Alikhani, S., Moradi, G., Delavari, A., Jamshidi, H. and Ezzati, M., 2012. Effectiveness of diabetes and hypertension management by rural primary health-care workers (Behvarz workers) in Iran: a nationally representative observational study. The Lancet, 379(9810), pp.47-54.

Glasby, J., 2017. Understanding health and social care. Policy Press.

Gretton, C. and Honeyman, M., 2016. The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care. [Online] The Kings Fund. Available at: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/eight-technologies-will-change-health-and-care [Accessed 29 June 2018].

Heslop, P., Blair, P.S., Fleming, P., Hoghton, M., Marriott, A. and Russ, L., 2014. The Confidential Inquiry into premature deaths of people with intellectual disabilities in the UK: a population-based study. The Lancet, 383(9920), pp.889-895.

Hii, P.C. and Chung, W.Y., 2011. A comprehensive ubiquitous healthcare solution on an Android™ mobile device. Sensors, 11(7), pp.6799-6815.

Hughes, P. & Ferrett, E., 2011, “Routledge”, Introduction to health and safety at work.

Jones, E., Taylor, B., MacArthur, C., Pritchett, R. and Cummins, C., 2016. The effect of early postnatal discharge from hospital for women and infants: a systematic review protocol. Systematic reviews, 5(1), p.24.

Lee, J., Mahendra, S. & Alvarez, P.J., 2010, “Nanomaterials in the construction industry: a review of their applications and environmental health and safety considerations”, ACS nano, vol. 4 (7), pp.3580-3590.

Lèfstedt, R., 2011, “The Stationery Office”, Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation, Vol. 8219.

Lluch, M., 2011, “Healthcare professionals’ organisational barriers to health information technologies—A literature review”, International journal of medical informatics, vol. 80 (12), pp.849-862.

MacDonald, R., Kreutz, G. and Mitchell, L. eds., 2013. Music, health, and wellbeing. Oxford University Press.

Marmot, M., Allen, J., Bell, R., Bloomer, E. & Goldblatt, P., 2012, “WHO European review of social determinants of health and the health divide”, The Lancet, vol. 380 (9846), pp.1011-1029.

Mensah, L.D. & Julien, D., 2011, “Implementation of food safety management systems in the UK”, Food Control, vol. 22 (8), pp.1216-1225.

Munn-Giddings, C. and Winter, R., 2013. A handbook for action research in health and social care. Routledge.

NHS., 2018. Spine. [Online] NHS. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/spine [Accessed 29 June 2018].

Piwek, L., Ellis, D.A., Andrews, S. and Joinson, A., 2016. The rise of consumer health wearables: promises and barriers. PLoS Medicine, 13(2), p.e1001953.

[1] Aveyard, H., 2014. Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

[2] Lluch, M., 2011, “Healthcare professionals’ organisational barriers to health information technologies—A literature review”, International journal of medical informatics, vol. 80 (12), pp.849-862.

[3] Bennett, P., 2010. “Oxford University Press”, Risk communication and public health.

[4] Brett, J., Staniszewska, S., Mockford, C., Herron?Marx, S., Hughes, J., Tysall, C. and Suleman, R., 2014.

[5] MacDonald, R., Kreutz, G. and Mitchell, L. eds., 2013. Music, health, and wellbeing. Oxford University Press.

[6] Munn-Giddings, C. and Winter, R., 2013. A handbook for action research in health and social care. Routledge.

[7] Mapping the impact of patient and public involvement on health and social care research: a systematic review. Health Expectations, 17(5), pp.637-650.

[8] Marmot, M., Allen, J., Bell, R., Bloomer, E. & Goldblatt, P., 2012, “WHO European review of social determinants of health and the health divide”, The Lancet, vol. 380 (9846), pp.1011-1029.

[9] Burton, J., 2010, “WHO Healthy workplace framework and model: Background and supporting literature and practices”, World Health Organization.

[10] Carpenter, J., Webb, C., Bostock, L. and Coomber, C., 2017. Effective supervision in social work and social care. Health.

[11] Coughlan, M. and Cronin, P., 2016. Doing a literature review in nursing, health and social care. Sage.

[12] Dahlgren, D. and Whitehead, M., 2017. European Strategies for tackling social inequalities in health: levelling up part 2. Health.

[13] Mensah, L.D. & Julien, D., 2011, “Implementation of food safety management systems in the UK”, Food Control, vol. 22 (8), pp.1216-1225.

[14] Ding, D., Cooper, R.A., Pasquina, P.F. and Fici-Pasquina, L., 2011. Sensor technology for smart homes. Maturitas, 69(2), pp.131-136.

[15] Farzadfar, F., Murray, C.J., Gakidou, E., Bossert, T., Namdaritabar, H., Alikhani, S., Moradi, G., Delavari, A., Jamshidi, H. and Ezzati, M., 2012. Effectiveness of diabetes and hypertension management by rural primary health-care workers (Behvarz workers) in Iran: a nationally representative observational study. The Lancet, 379(9810), pp.47-54.

[16] Mensah, L.D. & Julien, D., 2011, “Implementation of food safety management systems in the UK”, Food Control, vol. 22 (8), pp.1216-1225.

[17] Glasby, J., 2017. Understanding health and social care. Policy Press.

[18] Piwek, L., Ellis, D.A., Andrews, S. and Joinson, A., 2016. The rise of consumer health wearables: promises and barriers. PLoS Medicine, 13(2), p.e1001953.

[19] Gretton, C. and Honeyman, M., 2016. The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care. [Online] The Kings Fund. Available at: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/eight-technologies-will-change-health-and-care [Accessed 29 June 2018].

[20] Heslop, P., Blair, P.S., Fleming, P., Hoghton, M., Marriott, A. and Russ, L., 2014. The Confidential Inquiry into premature deaths of people with intellectual disabilities in the UK: a population-based study. The Lancet, 383(9920), pp.889-895.

[21] Hii, P.C. and Chung, W.Y., 2011. A comprehensive ubiquitous healthcare solution on an Android™ mobile device. Sensors, 11(7), pp.6799-6815.

[22] Hughes, P. & Ferrett, E., 2011, “Routledge”, Introduction to health and safety at work.

[23] Lèfstedt, R., 2011, “The Stationery Office”, Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation, Vol. 8219.

[24] Jones, E., Taylor, B., MacArthur, C., Pritchett, R. and Cummins, C., 2016. The effect of early postnatal discharge from hospital for women and infants: a systematic review protocol. Systematic reviews, 5(1), p.24.

[25] Lee, J., Mahendra, S. & Alvarez, P.J., 2010, “Nanomaterials in the construction industry: a review of their applications and environmental health and safety considerations”, ACS nano, vol. 4 (7), pp.3580-3590.

[26] NHS., 2018. Spine. [Online] NHS. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/spine [Accessed 29 June 2018].