Supporting Independent Living - Sampe Assignment

Supporting Independent
Living

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Use of technology to support service user for living independently................................1
1.2 Barriers to use technology to support users to live independently...................................2
1.3 Benefits of technologies for health & social care organisations and their users..............3
2.1 Health & safety considerations in use of technologies in health & social care................3
2.2 Ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies..............................................4
2.3 Impact of recent and emerging technological developments on care services, organisations
and care workers.....................................................................................................................5
PART 2............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Identify specific needs of an individual requiring support to live independently............6
3.2 Recommendations for how technologies might support independent living arrangements. 6
3.3 Usefulness of technology for users of health & social care services...............................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Supporting independent living refers to help individuals to conduct their daily routine
work by their own through providing digital aids. It consist number of helping devices which can
be used by patient to complete their regular tasks without help of others and live independently
(Giust and Valle-Riestra, 2017). However, it includes several helping instruments like dressing
stick and toothbrush handles; cooking using kitchen aids and many more. The present report is
based on case study related to Sally and James having their different health problems. Sally is
facing tingling & numbning in her left toe and then compliant about double vision, face digiculty
to hold lunch tray and her family observe chnage in memory skills. James has certain issue like
learining disability, milited mobility and chornic health problems and feel to the floor with
suspected heart attack. This assignment will focus on use of technology and related ethical
considerayions to support an individual. It will also include specific needs of individual and
recommend technological support for them.
PART 1
1.1 Use of technology to support service user for living independently
Independent living can be described as an ability of a person to conduct their daily
routine work by their own make personal decisions properly. Technology plays an important role
in health & social care as it facilitate to reduce duration of treatment process and increase
patients outcomes respectively. However, various assistive devices and equipments are used in
health & social care for making patient able to complete their working without help of other
people. In case of Sally, several assistive devices are utilised including dressing stick, toothbrush
handles, cooking using kitchen aids, jar openers, recipe card holders, large-handled pots & pans
and adapted gardening tools. It has been analysed that technological aids are supportive to move,
cook, gardening and occupational work in proper way. How ever, whelcisrs can be used to
facilitate mobility, hearing aids to listen, keyboard with large balck letters by yellow background
and toothbrush handles (Blackman and et. al., 2016).
At the other hand, it has been evalauted that every person is not able to afford expensive
technical aid then lack of funds become a problem to use technology for living independently.
Besides of this fact, technology is much effective to reduce risk of falls in people and help to
them avoid support of others to conduct their daily routine work. However, patients feel good to
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live indepedent that increase internal willpower of an individual to overcome as soon as possible.
Moreovre, support of technology make a person more active which helps to increase recovery of
them to become healthy. In addition to this, technical aids plays a significant role to maintain an
independent lives of people by commanding patients to 'what to do next' as similar that has been
done in case of Sally. Meanwhile, problem in memory create major issue for an individual as
they forget to conduct required tasks and ever take their medication on time (Giacino and et. al.,
2018). Furthermore, technical memory aids can be used by these people to have medicines on
time and become well being.
1.2 Barriers to use technology to support users to live independently
Utilisation of technology in health & social care are very beneficial of patients, staff
members and organisation. It is observed that technology is helpful to boost up accuracy of
decision making of care professionals about specific patient to provide appropriate treatment for
their wellness. However, it has been analysed that every person is not capable to use
technological aids in order to remain independent which has certain reasons. Initially, lack of
funds is responsible for a condition of people as they are not able to afford expensive technical
devices to maintain their health. It is necessary for government authorities to provide few of
supportive devices for free of cost to ensure better health of poor people in order to improve
health status of entire population of the country. However, lack of knowledge can be considered
as another barriers to use technology because some of people are not aware about benefits and
utilisation of effective technical aids due to which they deny to utilise the same (Czaja, 2017). It
is essential for care providers to conduct their counselling and provide information about benefits
if technical aids and make them able to use it in proper way. The encouragement of care
practitioners is favourable to motivate people for using such technological devices to become
independent and overcome with particular health problem.
In addition to this, fear of using technology of people is also a barrier to use technical
aids for facilitating independent living of a person. It is observed that many of people feel scared
to utilise technology as they think that it may create some problem or injury to them. Care
practitioners should use such aids while patient is admitted in care home to make them friendly
for using the same at home and provide proper training to them. In context of Sally, technology
specialist was there is make her understand about alternate input methods of keyboard so that she
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use it properly. The specialist provide her knowledge to use technical device while working as
she utilise other aids at home for their daily routine work.
1.3 Benefits of technologies for health & social care organisations and their users
Technologies for health & social care is beneficial for care homes as ell as patients to
achieve better outcomes. It consist various benefits which are achieved by services users in order
to become well being very soon. Initially, technological aids help an individual to conduct daily
tasks independently like cleaning, bathing, eating, walking and related activities. However, it is
helpful to make them remember to take their medications on time which facilitate to make an
individual disease free. Moreover, technology is beneficial for service user as it reduce risk of
falls and transfer emergency information to care providers immediately in single stroke
(Nguyen and et. al., 2018). In case of sally, she gets assistive devices like gardening tools,
toothbrush handles, dressing stick, digital assistive device etc. which support her to live
independently. She can get independent lifestyle, develop confidence and motivate attitude
towards life.
At the other hand, technological aids are beneficial for organisation to make accurate
decisions for treating specific disease of an individual in order to gain better outputs. Meanwhile,
technology is profitable for health care organisations as it improves effectiveness of clinical
practices and procedures to increase patient outcomes which facilitate to boost up goodwill
respectively. Furthermore, organisations gain specific advancements in services due several
technical development including decision support systems, molecular genetic advancements,
biotechnology, robotics in surgery, mobility assistive technology and so on. Considering overall
these benefits, organisations can conduct proper planing and manage care practices for
improving experience of sick people (Bedaf and et. al., 2017).
2.1 Health & safety considerations in use of technologies in health & social care
Health & safety is an important aspect which is required be considered by care
professionals in order to protect patient from any kind of harm, abuse or neglect. In case of Sally,
there are several aspects related to security of patient which should be considered by care
practitioners that are defined here. Firstly, they are required to follow legislations like Equality
Act 2010, Health & Social Care Act 2012, Care Act 2014 and Data Protection Act 1998 to save
patient and their relevant information. Secondly, establish risk assessment mechanism related
to specific technology used in particular case to sort out issues for protecting an individual from
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any kind of harm. Thirdly, it is essential to provide desired training and conduct engagement
exercise for client to make sure that they are capable enough to use technical aids in appropriate
manner.
According to case study of sally, there are several technical devices used by her like
“Pocket Coach” to make her remembers that 'what to do next' in order to carrying out daily
routine work. This device is also helpful to her for taking her overall medications on time which
are important to become well being (McDonagh, 2016). However, it is necessary for care
professional to check these technical aids after sometime to make sure its desired condition to be
used by the patient. Moreover, proper learning has been provided to Sally by technology
specialist related to special keyboard used by her at work place. Additionally, effective
information should be provide to patient about utilisation of desired technical device and what to
do when something negative happen in that equipment to ensure safety of an individual.
2.2 Ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies
Ethical principles are necessary to be used by care practitioners while dealing with
patient to provide required service properly. It consist number of ethical principles such as an
autonomy, beneficence, non- maleficence, justice and informed consent which are required to
be considered by medical professionals in respect of using assistive technologies. According to
ethical considerations, care practitioners associated with case of Sally should provide proper
information about technical devices and make her convinced to use them before applying
technology in her daily routine. Every patient has a right to select favourable choice of
technology to be used for treating their specific health problem. In context of Sally, care
practitioners should follow desired ethical norms because they are helpful to direct clinical
practices and use of technology in correct direction to improve patient experience.
It has been analysed that care professionals should take permission of an individual
before implementing it it their treatment. It is also mandatory to provide every relevant
knowledge to Sally about specific technical aids and clear her every inquiry or doubt about the
same. Meanwhile, ethics states about right to self determination according to which an
individual has a right in selecting one's own course of action out of the probable (Pulido Herrera,
2017). Moreover, confidentiality of patient and their relevant information should be maintained
by professional because a minor medical issue may create a major social problem for a person
that make their life difficult in society. Another ethical consideration include practitioner –
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client relationship which states about an emotional bonding between both of them to conduct
treatment procedures for welfare of patient. Effective bonding is beneficial to make an
appropriate decision making for medications which results into better outcomes of patient.
2.3 Impact of recent and emerging technological developments on care services, organisations
and care workers
Technological development consist advancements in technical equipments, devices,
procedures and applications in order to increase effectiveness of clinical practices. It includes
various recent & emerging technological developments such as decision support system (DSS),
biotechnology, bioengineering to create artificial body parts, super specialise surgeries, use of
robotics in surgery, mobility assistive technology and personal digital assistance. However,
hearing aids, disease modulating medication and several transplantations in human body to make
an individual well being are all aspects of technological developments (Plotner and Marshall,
2016). Moreover, these innovations and development in technology impacts on health and social
care which is described below.
Care services – The care services are improved with the help of various technical
devices as it consumes less duration of time which is very important to health & social care to
save life of an individual. It includes the criterion of adding new medical facilities to those
disease having no cure previously that can be solved by using biotechnological advancements.
For example, there is no option of those couples who has few of fertility problems to have a baby
but introducing test tube baby technique is helpful for them to conceive a baby to make their
family complete. In case of Sally, developed technology is beneficial to her for living
independently by using Pocket Coach that make remember what to do next for conducting her
regular routine work properly.
Healthcare organisations – The implementation of advanced technology is helpful to
increase quality of services and medications which facilitate to boost up patients experiences
(Bosch and Kanis, 2016). It include to improve goodwill among government authorities and
customers which facilitate to gain better profitability of an organisation.
Care workers – Technological advancements are beneficial care care workers to
increase their efficiency in order to provide an appropriate treatment for patients. Care
practitioners can use decision support system to make correct decision to give accurate treatment
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for welfare of Sally. However, they can increase skill to implant artificial body parts and treat
severe health problems easily.
PART 2
3.1 Identify specific needs of an individual requiring support to live independently
The specific needs of an individual are determined by analysing specific health heath
problems and related symptoms shows by them. It includes to thoroughly investigate about
physical and emotions signs of a person and their views regarding presence of specific disease in
order to identify related needs properly. According to the given case scenario, James is patient of
age 59 years and he is suffering from several health problems such as learning disability, limited
mobility and chronic issues including epilepsy & diabetes type 2. He also face a fall to the floor
with a suspected heart attack and get admitted to the hospital but he wish to shift to his self
contained flat in Sunshine Sheltered Accommodation. He has several needs which are required to
be fulfilled to facilitate his independent living.
Initially, James requires wheelchair to increase the mobility so that he can move by his
own to conduct various related aspects properly. It is helpful for James to move from one place
to another and avoid support of other people to facilitate his movement and increase in-
dependency. However, movement with the help of wheel chair will helps to reduce risk of falls
that facilitate to avoid relevant injuries (White and Cooley, 2018). Secondly, he requires an
assistive device which indicate him to take desired medications to control problem of diabetes
for maintain proper sugar levels in body for remaining well being. In addition to this, due to
having problem of epilepsy, his specific needs consist the use of hand- held personal digital
assistant (PDA) to analyse about 'what to do next' because epilepsy disturb function of brain and
cause seizures sometimes . Moreover, it will provide support to James for taking his medications
on time which improve his healthy condition accordingly. Furthermore, the above mentioned
devices are supportive for James to facilitate his independent living in his self contained flat in
Sunshine Sheltered Accommodation.
3.2 Recommendations for how technologies might support independent living arrangements
Technologies are supportive towards independent living arrangements because it
facilitate to complete that help factor of an individual which they gain from other people. It
includes different technical devices and instruments which has dissimilar role to support a person
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for remaining independent. However, specific case of a patient has different technological
requirements as compared to others which depends upon their particular health problem or
disability. In context of James, it has been recommended that wheelchairs are required to
facilitate his mobility that helps him to carrying out daily routine work for living independently.
Moreover, it is helpful make him move when he wants to go outside in the garden to meet
neighbours which impacts positively on his mental heath condition. Regular interaction with
people is helpful to ensure about his wellness.
At the other hand, it has been suggested to provide personal digital assistance (PDA) to
James which provide him indication to conduct every required tasks on time like taking
medication. It will provide support to patient to take desired medicines to maintain sugar levels
in body in order to remain well being. Meanwhile, it is recommended to care professionals to
prefer insulin transplant for James in order to solve his problem of diabetes type 2. Moreover, it
is suggested that other supportive devices should be provide him to cook food by his own like
kitchen aids including jar openers, recipe card holders and large handled pots & pans. James
should use dressing stick and toothbrush handles to conduct his daily work while living
independently. Additionally, several other memory aids are recommended including reminder
messages, clacks & calenders, medications aids, locators devices like sensors, tele care,
movement assistive technology (MAT) and daily activity overseer (Carter and et. al., 2016).
3.3 Usefulness of technology for users of health & social care services
Technology consist number of aspects which are useful for service users in health &
social care. Firstly, it is helpful to improve health status of patients with the help of taking more
effective treatments. Secondly, technology is favourable for physically disable people to move
by their own without support of other people. Thirdly, technical aids are favourable to mental
patients for indicating their correct time of taking medications. Moreover, biotechnology and
bioengineering is suitable for those individuals who lost their limbs in accidents or their organs
gets infected to gain artificial body parts to survive properly. Additionally, technology is helpful
to increase effectiveness of clinical practices which facilitate to boost up patients outcomes.
According to case of James, technology is favourable for him to facilitate his movement
for conducting daily routine work by his own. It includes utilisation of various technical aids to
support James that are useful to reduce risk of falls for him and remembers to take medications
for certain health problems present like diabetes and epilepsy. However, technological support is
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only effective to make James independent but also build their will power and confidence to
overcome with health issue to become completely well being.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that independent living can be explained
about capability of a person to carrying out their regular routine work. It includes several barriers
to use technology like lack of funds, lack of knowledge and fear of using technology in health &
social care. However, it involves benefits if using technology in health care such as daily tasks
independently, medications on time, reduce risk of falls & transfer emergency information, make
accurate decisions, improves effectiveness of clinical practices and advancements in services to
gain better outcomes. Moreover, it consist used of several technical aids like sensors, movement
assistive technology, medications aids, personal digital assistant, wheelchair etc.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bedaf, S. and et. al., 2017. Robots supporting care for elderly people. In Robotic Assistive
Technologies (pp. 309-332). CRC Press.
Blackman, S. and et. al., 2016. Ambient assisted living technologies for aging well: a scoping
review. Journal of Intelligent Systems. 25(1). pp.55-69.
Bosch, L. B. J. and Kanis, M., 2016, May. Design opportunities for supporting informal
caregivers. In Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human
Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 2790-2797). ACM.
Carter, E. W. and et. al., 2016. Supporting congregational inclusion for children and youth with
disabilities and their families. Exceptional Children. 82(3). pp.372-389.
Czaja, S. J., 2017. The potential role of technology in supporting older adults. Public Policy &
Aging Report. 27(2). pp.44-48.
Giacino, J. T. and et. al., 2018. Practice guideline update recommendations summary: disorders
of consciousness: report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and
Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology; the American
Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine; and the National Institute on Disability,
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. Archives of physical medicine and
rehabilitation. 99(9). pp.1699-1709.
Giust, A. M. and Valle-Riestra, D. M., 2017. Supporting mentors working with students with
intellectual disabilities in higher education. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities. 21(2).
pp.144-157.
McDonagh, D., 2016. Empathy supporting consumer–product relationships. The Routledge
Companion to Design Studies.
Nguyen, H. and et. al., 2018. Falls management framework for supporting an independent
lifestyle for older adults: a systematic review. Aging clinical and experimental research,
30(11). pp.1275-1286.
Plotner, A. J. and Marshall, K. J., 2016. Supporting postsecondary education programs for
individuals with an intellectual disability: Role of the vocational rehabilitation
counselor. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin. 59(4). pp.195-202.
Pulido Herrera, E., 2017. Location-based technologies for supporting elderly pedestrian in
“getting lost” events. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 12(4).
pp.315-323.
White, P. H. and Cooley, W. C., American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of
Family Physicians, 2018. Supporting the health care transition from adolescence to
adulthood in the medical home. Pediatrics. 142(5). p.e20182587.
Online
Importance of Assistive Technologies In Healthcare Industry. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.octalsoftware.com/blog/importance-of-assistive-technologies-in-
healthcare-industry>
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