Independent Living & Technology: Health and Social Care Analysis

This report examines the use of assistive technology to support independent living for individuals with disabilities within the health and social care sectors. It explores various technologies, such as ankle-foot orthosis, functional electrical stimulation, and wheelchairs, highlighting their benefits in promoting mobility and independence. The report also analyzes the barriers to technology adoption, including privacy concerns, reduced human interaction, and the complex nature of emerging technologies. Furthermore, it discusses the advantages of these technologies for healthcare organizations and users, focusing on monitoring capabilities, constant care options, environmental control, internet access, and entertainment opportunities. The report also addresses health and safety considerations and ethical implications associated with assistive technology, emphasizing the importance of training and awareness. The report concludes with recommendations for specific needs and an evaluation of technology's overall usefulness in enhancing the quality of life for users of health and social care services. Desklib offers a range of similar assignments and study resources for students.

Supporting Independent Living
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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Part 1..........................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Explain how technology can be used to support users of health and social care services in
living independently...................................................................................................................4
1.2 Analyse barriers to the use of technology to support users of health and social care
services in living independently.................................................................................................5
1.3 Explain the benefits of these technologies to health and social care organisations and their
users............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Explain health and safety considerations in the use of technologies in health and social
care.............................................................................................................................................8
2.2 Discuss ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies.....................................9
2.3 Explain the impact of recent and emerging technological developments on health and
social care services, organisations and care workers...............................................................10
Part 2........................................................................................................................................11
3.1 Identify specific needs of an individual requiring support to live independently..............11
3.2 Make recommendations for how technologies might support the independent living
arrangements............................................................................................................................12
3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users of health and social care services..........13
Conclusion................................................................................................................................14
References................................................................................................................................15
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Introduction
This study of the section includes the analysis of assistive technology that would support the
living of individuals with disabilities on their own i.e. independently. It has been thoroughly
discussed and analysed the social and general barriers that affect the usability of services and
advanced technology. The benefits of advanced technology and the changes that appear with
them is elaborated and discussed. There is a vivid description of implications of modern
technology which are required to be understood and considered while using it; the drawbacks,
the changes, the impacts etc. In the case study, there are suggestions and implementation of
services that are required and necessary for convenient independent living.
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Part 1
1.1 Explain how technology can be used to support users of health and social care
services in living independently.
The independent living of disabled-community has been one of the important issues any
country faces. The development of these technologies and their demand is increasing day by
day. These tools and technologies help individuals suffering from mental and physical
disabilities. There are varied ways where developing technology becomes an aid to users of
health and social care facilities in living by their own selves (Bryant & Seok, 2017).
 The use of ankle-foot orthosis in case of weakness and sore foot muscle: This technology
is developed for people with weakness, unstable knee, low on energy, and ankle musculature.
AFO is also used in conditions where an individual is unable to swing leg which affects
normal body movements. AFO is available in the varied material in the market which is
furthermore categorised into rigid and articulated, on the basis of needs.
 Functional Electrical Stimulation in case of nerve damage: FES is developed to bring
motion and movement in muscles devoid of nervous control. FES brings contraction of
muscles and normal functional movements of the body. It is an aid in walking, the condition
of foot drop, maintaining the balance of body on foot, during the treatments. It can be
controlled and managed with a wireless connection.
 Hip flexion assists orthosis in case of lower body weakness: HFAO is used in conditions
where an individual is unable to perform certain tasks that require lower body engagement. It
is widely developed to aid lower-limb weakness i.e. hip and knee till ankle muscles.
 Canes in case of mild discomfort in walking: Canes are a useful accessory for it divides the
whole body weight on hips than otherwise feet which helps in maintaining body balance.
Canes are also preferred in minute discomfort in walking than those other mechanical aids to
avoid risking tripping and further damage (Cook & Polgar, 2014).
 Crutches in case of unbalancing body: Crutch were made to help in maintaining the body
weight on even parallels instead of discomforting damaged legs. Crutches are more useful
than canes because they divide body weight equally, and with the full support of upper body
and strength individuals can manage a comfortable with any external support.
 Walkers or wheeled walkers in case of no lower body movement: Walkers were
developed and are still developing and evolving with time to aid individuals with no lower
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body control and accessibility. Walkers can be improvised and customized according to the
need of the individual.
 Wheelchair in case of inability to move: Wheelchair were designed to permit an individual
with a disability to still access and manage activities, such as personal tasks etc that involve
action and movement of the body. They are primarily used for people prone to frequent falls
and experiencing difficulty in the balance of body and comfort.
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1.2 Analyse barriers to the use of technology to support users of health and social care
services in living independently.
There are implications and several disadvantages of assistive technology, such as
Privacy:
These technologies are only so far useful until they require a constant monitoring i.e. helper.
These monitoring and under-observation situations lead to the discomfort of personal space
of an individual with a disability (Bryant & Seok, 2017).
Human involvement:
Sometimes this technology whose prior motive was to include the disabled in the general
community with aid to live a normal life does not work out as planned and expected. Since
technology almost brings the entire dependency on machines and electric equipment, human
involvement becomes next to nil in the life of the physically impaired individual.
Regression in attitude towards change:
With the introduction of assistive technology, disability has turned out to be less of a liability
on any individual suffering. But with the change and aid to lead a normal life, the suffering of
the individual still remains. These aids assist disables to enjoy a normal life but with aids,
individuals no longer prefer and practice to overcome these disabilities. Some disabilities are
proven to be recoverable. The sufferer and the suffering will eventually increase by the time
once not practised against (Cook & Polgar, 2014).
Technology and complex nature:
Developing technologies are very expensive and every day evolvement is turning them
difficult to put to use. Such complex nature of technology affects the disable psychologically
and due to hard time dealing with system and monitors it increases frustration level
furthermore.
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1.3 Explain the benefits of these technologies to health and social care organisations and
their users.
Assistive technology ensures the incapability of an individual does not hold them back from
living the life they lead before within the community of the people of the same kind. There
have been multiple levels of development in telecare sector of services. The developments
include the facility of maintaining their (individuals) personal space whilst enjoying the
support of health and general care at once with technology.
It is made up of numerous features; there are some that monitor the health and care of the
individuals without their active participation, where other features are highly interactive that
they process on data inputs to encourages individuals to be an active participant in their own
health care packages (Desideri, et. al., 2016).
Monitoring
Constant observation has lead to less frequent doctor visits, emergency rooms, and long
involvement of hospitals and beds, which in return has provided an individual with personal
space, time, satisfaction, and enhanced life quality. Assistive technology monitoring is a
collection of patient data that includes management and health supervision. This monitoring
is of health status, changing; reducing or increasing symptoms, fluctuation in activities that
takes place via an active interactive system habituating in patient’s home who is remotely
attached or connected to the system in companies’ office. This data monitoring is constantly
observed and noted by professionals sitting at the other end of the system i.e. healthcare
professionals.
Constant Care
Interactive telecare involves the active participation of the patient and the care provider,
which can be through online communication, phone calls, and home visits. Numerous
activities that required face-to-face visits have become traditional with the introduction of
interactive telecare. These visits were vividly devoted to history review, psychiatric
evaluations, physical examination, and assessments of ophthalmology. Also, it is important to
notice that such development in telecare has to lead to a lot of cost saving formally spent on
the clinic or hospital visits. Assistive technology is most beneficial for patients living under
uncomfortable circumstances or isolated situations and communities.
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Control over the ambience
The control over the immediate environment is an ability that an individual with lack of
accessibility to perform looks for that meet his/her social and health needs. These systems are
relatively interactive, highly passive and easily manageable. It is important to know that these
systems are now instilled with solutions that maintain, raise, and decrease the conditions of
immediate environment, such as lightning and heating set specific to be active on required
and mentioned time or decisions that require time management. These systems can be of
further assistance, for instance, shutting and the opening of the door, functions of televisions;
on and off, rise and draw curtains, or for the fact it provides an individual with total control of
the surrounding area.
Use of Internet
Due to the high functioning of this assistive technology, it is necessary to have the knowledge
to operate them and put them to use with the instructions set by professionals through the
internet. This does not deal with the designs of the accessible or approachable websites.
However, it is noticeable that there are numerous activities and applications that disabled
have found benefitting and improvising for their own self.
Such as virtual reality, online gaming, communication and collaborations, community
activity, voice over IP and video, E-commerce etc. Cloud services are increasingly delivering
new and better applications and technology. Since without the effective design and style of
these assistive technologies such as change and support would have been difficult to expect
(Desideri, et. al., 2016).
Entertainment Purpose
Developing assistive technology is turning new folds of entertainment and leisure for
specially challenged individuals in order to enhance and better the quality of life. There are
special areas; broadcast media, gaming, music, and art and culture.
Broadcast media includes access to BBC broadcast with the help of internet connection.
Some assistive technologies are developed in such way that they totally retaliate and respond
to commands through the pointing devices and keyboards instilled in them. Another attractive
function if of Slingbox, it is used for viewing and transmitting television system remotely. It
permits or allows an in the individual to have access to television system from everywhere in
the world.
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Gaming includes adapted controllers and specialized games. Some websites have gone far in
thinking and have provided an additional feature of downloadable games and entertaining
activities for disabled individuals i.e. switch users and people who are visually impaired on
their respective sites.
Arts and culture include virtual tours of museums and art galleries.
Music is a factor that induces emotions and keeps alive the feelings which are important and
necessary. Specialized features have made mp3 player accessible which offers to perform and
compose music online (Desideri, et. al., 2016).
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2.1 Explain health and safety considerations in the use of technologies in health and
social care.
The health and safety considerations in assistive technology are evolving to a great extent.
There are new and innovative approaches towards supporting the condition of disables. But
the harm and endangering qualities of rapidly developing health aid technology is unnerving
according to the study conducted and results derived by the department of health and safety.
Assistive technology is as harmful as it is assistive or supportive to disabled individuals as
well as people around them. It is important to observe and note that most assistive
technologies don’t come with a DO and DO NOT manual. The supervision and training are
really to be learned on own once an individual or a support starts dealing with assistive
technology. The service care is widely ill-educated about the information and instruction
regarding the technology. There are some health and safety considerations that are to be kept
in check while using or working around assistive technology.
Ensuring the safe and supportive workplace
The value of autonomy that is defined as allowing people to live their lives peacefully and
similarly the way they have since last many years, where the individual's determination,
freedom, choice, privacy are respected. This involves proper consent and involvement of the
individual which is required to be voluntary, and widely based on the agreeable information.
The healthcare support individuals may guide the disabled individuals.
Knowledge of the work
The quality training standards have been set by legislative guidelines to make sure that
instructions regarding the social and health care setups are vividly informing and effective in
the usage of technology and services. Amongst the behaviour of stakeholders of any sect of
both patients and staff, a well-defined mechanism is to be placed to avoid any challenging
condition where a well-defined risk assessment mechanism which would help in evolving
through tough situations and settings (Sarkar, 2015).
Employees should report all accidents & unsafe practices
It is important to be aware of anything unusual that appears or happens around the place of
treatment. The term beneficence refers to delivering the best in context to service for the
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impaired individual. This mostly requires equilibrium between avoiding and considering risk
or tolerating them. In case of fire or flood, benefits include permitting an access to support in
individuals property to meet the requirements of help and medication.
Insists employers regularly audit their premises
Act on any unsafe premises can cause major damage to an individual’s health and condition.
Non- maleficence refers to no harm condition. It is important to judge whether the presence
of support is bringing more harm than help. There has to be a common point where avoiding
harm and respected decisions meet while taking care of preferences, integrity, and dignity.
For example, a piece of technical tool equipment or may lead to widespread confusion and
more distress instead of support and peace (Bryant & Seok, 2017).
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2.2 Discuss ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies.
Assistive technology has its consequential benefits; they enhance safety and maintain self-
dependency of the individual. However, any facility can be misused and study
misinterpreted. There are benefits and drawbacks to any potential derivation and solution.
The facilities developed and provided to an individual in need have to be functional,
beneficial, and helping i.e. these facilities should serve their purpose (Sarkar, 2015). There
are some considerations that are to be kept under observation:
 The general effect of assistive technologies on people in the society. For instance, the
constant fear that assistive technology or telecare that can effectively ruin the general care
service and minimize or reduce human involvement.
 The implementation of telecare services without the consent and full involvement of an
individual. This can be related in conditions of mental health as dementia.
 There are particular considerations and conflicts of an individual while using these
technologies to aid i.e. the constant monitoring of movement which soon invades the personal
space and makes the individual uncomfortable.
 There are cases where this aid technology turns out to be an add-on facility and skill which
was uncalled for i.e. not necessary or required. This add-on facility eventually refrains an
individual from making efforts and turns them lethargic to achieve, complete, or finish a
normal task.
 These telecare stores, collect, gather personal data of an individual for further assistance in
functioning and healing process but this information is harming if wrong accessed or used for
inaccurate purposes. The protection and security of this personal information are utmost and
necessary to avoid as such conditions. There have been many instances where the sharing of
data has led to severe health and life threat.
 The use of assistive technology is complex and complicated in nature. Although they support
the living of the individual but Individuals, on the other hand, are constantly under stress and
pressure to not damage the equipment due to lack of knowledge and access it when not
required i.e. turn it on unintentionally.
 The usage of assistive technology highlights the incapability of an individual whereas the
strength, capacity and capability of the individual go unconsidered and unnoticed.
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