Supporting Independent Living: Assistive Technology in Health Care

This report delves into the application of assistive technology within health and social care settings, focusing on its role in supporting independent living. The introduction highlights the importance of independent living for patients, particularly those with conditions like dementia, and sets the stage for an examination of assistive technologies. Task 1 explores the significance of assistive technology for users, detailing various types of devices, such as tracking devices, AI-driven systems, and timers, along with their applications for individuals like Mrs. Mary Johnson. The report identifies barriers to the use of technology, including cost, training, and accessibility, as well as personal challenges. It also examines the benefits of assistive technology, emphasizing improved care, enhanced efficiency, and reduced communication barriers. Task 2 covers relevant health and safety legislation, ethical considerations, and advancements in assistive technology. Task 3 focuses on a case study involving Joseph, outlining his specific needs and suggesting assistive devices to help him maintain independent living, and evaluating the effectiveness of the technology for users in health and social care. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and implications of the report.

Supporting Independent Living in
Health and Social Care

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Importance of Assistive Technology for Users of health and Social Care services..............1
1.2 Barriers in Use of Technology ..............................................................................................2
1.3 Benefits of Assistive Technology for Health Care and Social Care......................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Health and Safety legislation 1974.............................................................................................5
2.2 Ethical consideration in Use of Assistive technology............................................................6
2.3 Advancement in Assistive .....................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Joseph's Specific needs..........................................................................................................8
3.2 Assistive devices to help Joseph to continue living independently.......................................9
3.3 Effectiveness of technology for users of health and social care service..............................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Health and social care organizations provide patients or other people the best services and
support them to live independently which is essential for fast recovery. Independent living define
the policy of giving freedom to disable peoples, health and social care centres focuses on
providing or supporting person to control their disease and make them undependable upon
anyone (Dahl and Boulos, 2014). Health care industry seeks to offer efficient support for all the
people that suffering from Dementia and other mental disabilities. The present report is based on
Joseph and Mrs Mary Johnson both are facing the same disease as loss of memory that impact on
their daily routine activities. It explains health and safety consideration in use of technologies in
health and social care institutes and ethical consideration in use of assistive technologies.
Moreover, this report justifies affect of emerging and recent techniques' development on health
and social care facilities, care workers and firms. This study clarifies Joseph's particular needs,
assistive devices to help him to continue living independently and also explain the usefulness or
effectiveness of technology for users of health and social care facilities.
TASK 1
1.1 Importance of Assistive Technology for Users of health and Social Care services
Independent Living
Independent living is the ability that help a person to analyse and decision taking for
different situations. This ability is based on different type of information and resources. By using
these different type of information and resources these devices help the person who needs
support in various conditions (Nelson and Staggers, 2016). This technology is basically known
as assistive technology and it is important for the people who need this technology to survive.
Different types of support and assistance is provided by these devices to the person who is not
able to manage all actions efficiently in daily life. This technology provide assistance in action
and living style of people to perform actions high level of perfection.
Users of Assistive Technology
Most users of the assistive technology are the people who are suffering from different
physical or mental disability and facing different types of problems in routine of daily life. These
people are patients and old age people who are suffering from dementia and other problems that
are stopping them to perform important actions that are essential for further life. This technology
is used by the people to improve their daily life style by making them aware of different thing
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that are important for them to stay healthy and safe. For example the people who are suffering
from dementia are not able to remember different thing for longer time and this can cause
different problems. So, this assistive technology remind them different important things like
taking medication and perform important actions which are important for their health and safety.
Types of Assistive Technology for User of Health and Social Care
These technologies are classifies in different types as per there utilization. These
technologies are used to monitor their actions and keep reminding them what to do next and
help them to perform different work with safety and security. To monitor movement of patients
different devices are used (Negra, Jemili and Belghith, 2016). These devices are mostly cameras,
tracking sensors and distance sensors. These devices are used to keep track the movement of
people to find their location and guide them to home. The cameras inside and outside of home
provide clear location to tracker to keep eye on them to ensure their safety. Distance sensor and
tracking sensor are used to track their location in locality and also this technology is used tp
prevent condition of getting lost in city or locality. Other devices are based on the artificial
intelligence and automation and these technologies are based on self learning and this self
learning technology of AI help the user to perform different important actions. Voice activates
sensor help them to complete their work and remind them with different things which are
important for them. These devices guide them to perform various actions with voice assistance.
These technologies also can be used for
Recommendation of Technology for user
Mrs Marry Johnson is suffering from dementia and this kind of people are not able to
remember different things so, various technologies can be suggested for these patients which are
– wearable tracking devices, cameras, voice navigators and artificial intelligence guidance
system. This is how this kind of people can be tracked to ensure their safety. Different wearable
devices are smart watches and smart fitness bands. For the voice navigators google assistance,
Amazon alexa and apple siri can be used that is easily available in smartphones. The artificial
intelligence devices are smart computers that are connected to internet.
Timers- Timers are the watches and stop clocks that can help the person by reminding of
different things like keeping the lights off, close the tap after pouring water. This also can remind
the user to take required pills what at specific time.
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Audio Players and Recorders- These devices can help the can help the patient with voice
assistance.
Reading Guides- This are mainly tracking devices that are used by employees or trainers to
track the patient around the place to prevent them from getting lost.
Screen Readers- This technology can help the user to read the screens to make them better
understand that what is going on the computer or digital device screen.
Speech Input Device- This are the voice assistance devices that can be used to get valuable
information required by user.
1.2 Barriers in Use of Technology
Barriers Of Implication
The main barriers in implication of assistive technology are related to cost, training and
technological access difficulties. These technologies can help people to live normal life and it
also can be used to reduce the daily life difficulties for them to improve their life style for their
better health, safety and security but there are different concerns that are preventing the use of
this technology for people who need this maintain their life style. Main problem about this
technology is the high cost (Shuren and Califf, 2016). This is an advance technology and it takes
too much research and capital to develop this technology. So, these technologies are too much
costly to buy. This thing make is out of reach for other people. Next barrier is to train these
people whom are suffering with different problems in which they are not able to remember
things. So, this is quite difficult to train these people on assistive devices. This will reduce the
functionality of device cause they are not capable to use these devices. This is major problem
and limitation for implication of assistive devices. Other problem with implication of these
devices and technology is related to accessibility of this technology is limited in particular area
and these devices can't be used in remote area. This is how all these technologies are not always
good for all people.
Factors that Can Affect Use of Technology
There are different factors that can affect the implementation and accessibility of
particular technology for different people. Mostly the monitoring and tracking technology and
artificial intelligence technology are mostly used by nursing and old age homes. These
technologies are too much expensive and not easy to afford also cause of high expenses this is
limited and not easy to access. These technologies are provided to the people who are rich and
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they can afford this technology and it is not provided to other people who are from middle class
and lower middle class. This can be considered as violation of in equality and breaching equality
act 2010. Also, monitoring technology is also provided to rich people who are able to afford this
technology. This discrimination due to different factors affect the accessibility of technology to
people. Other factors that affect the accessibility of assistant technology are complexity
technology that reduce the accessibility of technology to too many peoples.
Personal Barriers that Affect the implication of Assistive Technology
The person who is facing the different problems and physical and mental disability create
various personal barriers that make technology difficult to implement. This personal issues are
less understanding to technology, complexity of technology, frustration, anxiety and more
confusion. These are the major issues faces by old people and people who are facings different
disease with mental health (Meyer and Eslambolchilar, 2017). These technologies are advanced
and using digital technology that is difficult to understand for the people who not aware of it
initially. Mrs Johnson is facing dementia and this will be difficult for her to remember these
things for longer time. If there are too many technology bare provided to her, this can also can
cause trouble to her because she will find it difficult to handle too many things at single time and
maybe she will feel anxiety and frustration during using assistive technology.
Methods to Reduce Barriers in Adaptation of Assistive technology
There are different ways can be used to reduce the barriers in implementation of modern
technology. These ways are developing proper educating plan, improve the awareness in people,
by providing training using these technologies and providing personal in structure to them. In the
first step a proper development plan should be decided and designed to develop better
understanding in people to encourage them to use advance technology to solve different
problems. Different awareness programs can be used to improve the awareness of people about
assistive technology (Quinde, Khan and Augusto, 2018). This can help them to adopt new
technology to make the patients more self dependent in their personal life to reduce various kind
of problems in daily life. To make them aware of assistive technology a personal trainer can be
provided to them to reduce their problems. To make them comfortable with assistive technology
a intense and positive training also can be used to inspire them to use this advance device in
routine life.
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1.3 Benefits of Assistive Technology for Health Care and Social Care
Benefits
The assistive technology is so helpful for the people who are not able to manage their
work and find difficult to perform different functions of routine works. There are different
benefits of assistive technology for people with mental and physical disability. This provide
better care to them and this can also can help them to perform different actions with higher
efficiency (Calvillo, Roman and Roa, 2015). This technology provide them capability to do their
work on their own. This technology also help this people in educating them about new thing and
help them to reduce the complexity of different tasks. The technologies like voice assistance and
narration technology help them to lean different things in effective manner. Assistive technology
reduce the barriers in communication and provide them with different to get connect with the
outer community to find belongingness.
Benefits Gained by Mrs Johnson by Assistance technology
to help Mrs Johnson different technologies are installed in the house to reduce the level
of inconvenience to her. The most important technology that is provided to her is voice
assistance and location tracker. Most of time she got lost in locality and found unable to find way
to home so this tracking and voice assistance technology help her to reach home. The other
technology provided to her is radio smog detector and security alarm. Smoke detector help her to
prevent the condition of fire hazard and security alarm ensures her safety in house (Younesi and
Ayseli, 2015). The technologies like calendar clock is provided with information off the routine
of her daily life and this thing help her to manage routine work. The artificial technology is
providing her with ability to make contact with different people at time of need and this will
improve their connectivity with outer community.
TASK 2
Health and Safety legislation 1974
The key elements of health and safety legislation are protection of every worker on work
place, duty to care and consultation. The main purpose of health and safety legislation is all
about keeping work place safer and secure for the employees and people who are taking the
services of organization. This act is providing safety and security guide lines to the employer and
authorities to keep the work place safer and secure for all the people in organization. In this act
different rules are defined for the construction and design of work place. This work place could
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be a hospital or a old age home. The people who are living in old age home and hospital are not
able to take care of self so health and safety act is helping those people to stay safe in the hospital
and old age home (Wang, Kung and Byrd, 2018). This is how health and safety act providing
rights to people who are suffering with mental and physical health problems to stay safe and
healthy at location they are living.
Health and Safety Consideration in Health and Social Care Services for Assistive
Technology
In the health care and social care services different assistive technologies are used to
provide more convenience to people who are taking services of organization. It is important to
keep the technology updated and well maintained to get good out put at end (Grace and
Gleasure, 2017). There are different consideration should be taken to keep operation and
function of services good for both patients and employees. These patients face different issues
when they are using these technologies for first few days. It works of staff to provide them with
enough resources to help them to use new technology. If the services provided to the patients is
good them it will be easy for them to get compatible assistive technology and for this they are
need to provided with proper guide lines.
Result of Health and Safety act on Mrs Marry Johnson
Mrs Johnson is facing dementia and she faces frustration while she gets confused in
different thins. Dementia can also cause different problems to the staff of hospital and old age
home. Health and safety act 1974 force the organization to keep her safe and healthy in place.
This is how this act help Mrs Johnson to stay comfortable with assistive technology.
2.2 Ethical consideration in Use of Assistive technology
Ethics in Use of Assistive Technology
Ethics inn the use of assistive technology are more concern about the safety and security
of person who is using this technology (Doyle, 2018). Ethically this technology should be used
for the good of user and all type of threats should be avoided inn the use of this technology.
Sustainability and health issues should be taken first to provide more convenience to people who
are using the technology.
Ethical Considerations
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There are four different ethical consideration that are important to follow during use of
this assistive technology in care of patients. These considerations are Non maleficence,
beneficence, autonomy and justice.
Autonomy- it is important for the employees of health and social care services to keep the
information of the behaviour of patient to ensure their capabilities to perform different operation
and work of employees should be enough good to reduce the conflicts and misunderstanding.
Justice- it important to divide the work and efforts of employees and patients equally divided
and should be according to their capabilities to perform effective performance (Islam, Mayer and
Clutter, 2016). According to this consideration equal resources should be provided to people.
This will provide equal justice to people in organization.
Beneficence- All the functions of organization should be focused on providing better result to
patient to get better and positive output.
Non Beneficence- The treatment of the patient should be focused on not to affect and harm other
people through the procedure in implication of assistive technology.
For the given case the uses of technology is important because Mrs Marry is facing
different problems in daily lifer and she need this technology to become independent.
The alternative of this assistive technology is to provide them with a person always on
duty to serve her and provide her what she need (Vyas and Dillahunt, 2017). It is not possible to
keep a person always with her and inn this case assistive technology is better option. There are
different things can be used by employees to keep patients engaged in different things and these
things are different activities, television and music.
Importance of Ethical Consideration
This ethical considerations are important to follow in health and social care services.
Cause this consideration provides equal opportunities and services to all patients and provide
proper method to please the patients.
Disadvantages of Not Following Ethics
This is important for the patient to get proper care in the health care services. If tese guide
lines are not followed by employees then it can cause many problems to patient and affect their
health and safety in old age home.
2.3 Advancement in Assistive
Emerging Technologies
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The most emerging technology in the field of assistive technology is artificial intelligence
that is providing enough functionality to patient to manage their own work with higher
efficiency. Other technology in assistive technology is voice assistance and automation. For
people with debility artificial intelligence is best appropriate technology.
Effect of Emerging technology
For Organization
Positive Effect- Artificial Intelligence technology can provide high functionality to organization
without extra effort.
Negative Effect- Artificial Intelligence need high capital for installation cause highly skilled
people and technology is required.
Employees
Positive Effect- This reduce the efforts of employees cause many tasks and guidance work of
daily life will be managed by AI device.
Negative Effect- This is complex to operate and can cause failure in operation. Employees have
to take special training to operate this technology.
For User
Positive Effect- Easy to use and provide high functionality. This can help user to perform
important actions and will guide them while they are out of house.
Negative Effect- This technology need high investment. This will be really difficult for then to
deal with this device cause they are not aware of AI technology and it is new to them.
TASK 3
3.1 Joseph's Specific needs
Dementia is the common term for decline in mental ability serve sufficient to interfere
with daily life, Alzheimer's is most general kind of dementia and Memory loss is one of the best
example of it. It is not specific disease, dementia is overall term that defines the group of
symptoms related with the decline in thinking skills or memory serve enough to reduce the
people ability to perform its day to day activities (Feinberg, 2014). Person with dementias
disease have problems with short term memory, keeping track of wallet or handbag,
remembering travelling or appointments, preparing and planning meals and paying bills. Due to
damage of brain cells dementia get causes and impact on people daily life activities and
functions. This types of cells damage interferes with capability of brain cells to work or
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communicate with each other. When brain cells does not communicate commonly, behaviour,
feeling and thinking of person can be affected which is not appropriate for them.
Needs of people with dementia disease-
People with dementia disease in need to palliative care must be able to receive palliative
care support and services at home. Person with dementia or memory loss for example, Joseph's
experience changes in their emotional and physical responses. They have less control over its
thinking and feelings. Their capacities and needs is very individual, the need of people with short
term memory is wide range of health care services and flexible system. Extra care of family
members, devices or technologies to remind people the things which they usually forget due to
memory loss (Bedaf, Gelderblom and De Witte, 2015). They need personal assistance at home
and family concern or additional care, palliative care, night care and therapy and support for
running their daily life activities. Physical, social and health are the types of needs of person with
dementia.
5 specific needs of Joseph in context of dementia-
Joseph is 62 year old man who has suffering from dementia disease, he currently lost his
wife. He is highly active person who likes to go out on the range of occasions each day.
Sometimes Joseph leave home at night thus, for this their family members is significantly
concerns about them. He forgets to close the water tab and left away out of wash room. It is very
risky for his health and life as it impact on peoples living around or with him. Joseph need 5
types of care or needs in their life with dementia-
Physical need- They want health care assistant at home who always close around them as
taking care about their daily activities and helps to remember time of taking medicines.
Intellectual need- due to loss of short term memory Joseph want intellectual needs in
which they required devices and new technologies who helps to remind their day to day activities
and also the name of members that already feed in device system.
Social need- Neighbour living nearby Joseph also look after him and concern about their
health.
Emotional need- Health care counselling is the best and most needed thing of Joseph
because they are dealing with lack of motivation. They need love, care and concern of family
members.
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Health need- Joseph with dementia need health care related treatments that helps to
improve their health and make him fit.
3.2 Assistive devices to help Joseph to continue living independently
Independent living is the philosophy, worldwide movement of people with disabilities
working for same opportunities, a way of looking at disability and society, self respect and self
determination (Simplican and et.al., 2015). Independent living in context of elder care is seen as
the pace in time of care with assisted living being. In most nations, many peoples suffer in their
life and face many issues due to dementia or loss of memory. Independent living is defined as
living on one's own and being independent or live life without taking help of others. With the
help of using assistive devices Joseph can be able to live their independently and take their
medicines without any support of facility members or groups of peoples.
Assistive devices is external technology that is made, designed or adapted to assist the
person or peoples to perform their daily task or activities. Joseph with dementia disease is not
able to remembers things and also cannot be able to carry out the daily activities and participate
productively and actively in community life (Memon and et.al., 2014). Wheelchairs, walkers,
prosthetic devices, scooters, orthotic device, hearing aids and mobility aids are the various types
of assistive devices that help Joseph and other people living independently in their life. Clock,
Medication management and artificial intelligence is the best assistive devices which support
Joseph to keep living independently.
Most of Clocks specifically made or designed for those people with dementia, it helps to
remind name of different things which are important in their routine life styles. Joseph sometime
forget to close the water tab and also miss taking their medication and skip meals as it all impact
on its health. With the help of digital clock family member of Joseph set time related to their
daily activities such as taking medicines, meal and other. It provides information about their
daily activities such as eat meals, take medicines and other things which is essential for them as
to managed successfully. It also helps care taker who try to set the routine by showing their care
or concern for Joseph. It is one of the best technology for them as help to recognize every thing
and make him independent.
Medication management technology is a type of assistive device that support Joseph a
lot in his life. It is the simple pillbox market with day of week or automated pill dispensers which
open and beep to remind Joseph to take their meal or medication. Medication and other
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reminders is also as simple as vibrating alarm on the watch. This technology serves Joseph wells
by permitting them to live independently.
Artificial intelligence also assist Joseph to continuant living independently, with the help
of this technology they can easily carry out their daily activities and also remind him to close the
tab before water flowing out of room (Livingston and et.al., 2017). Computer system monitor
each and every activity of Joseph and beep alarm for reminding about taking meals and
medication automatically.
3.3 Effectiveness of technology for users of health and social care service
Digital clocks and artificial intelligence is recommended to Joseph as it is very helpful
and useful for him to accomplish specific tasks or daily activities. Dementia clocks is specially
designed clock for person with dementia. It is useful for Joseph as they can be able to managed
their each and every action and leave life independently without taking any support from
neighbours and family members. With the helps of digital alarm clock they can remind many
things such as eating meal and taking medication. This clocks display reminders, audio
recording, videos or photos. It is very essential that Joseph with dementia diagnosis must have
structure predictability and routine in his lives (Afram and et.al., 2014). That is he must used
this clocks because it is useful and suitable for them as whole life and helps to maintain their
living standards effectively. This clocks support him keep track of current date, time and day of
week, it also has the digital alarm clock to remind Joseph to take medication and to go for health
care appointment. Joseph is elder person who cannot be able to live independently and complete
their daily routine activities with the help of digital clock they can be capable to remind day and
date as well as night or day which they forget to recognize due to dementia.
Artificial intelligence keep older people or person with dementia out of hospital and
health care centre by monitoring its condition remotely. This technology uses the network of
internet enabled digital device installed in home of Joseph in combination with machine learning
program which together indicate when Joseph with dementia needs help (Lichtner and et.al.,
2014). It is useful technology that helps health care provide to track the current location of their
patients and also useful to monitory Joseph activities by computer system.
Health care assistant and use of current technology is recommended for Joseph as to
reduce the impact on dementia and its progress.
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CONCLUSION
This report is concluding different assistive technology for the people who are suffering
from mental illness. Different assistance technologies are analysed for health and social care
services that are designed for these patients. Health and safety consideration are evaluated for
use of assistive technology in health and social care services. The effectiveness of this
technology is calculated for the patient of dementia and other mental disorders.
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