Health and Social Care: Supporting Independent Living with Technology

This report delves into the critical role of technology in supporting independent living for individuals in health and social care settings. It explores various assistive technologies and their applications, illustrating how they can enhance the lives of individuals like Sally and James. The report examines the benefits of these technologies for both users and healthcare organizations, while also addressing potential barriers to their adoption, such as affordability and complexity. Furthermore, it outlines health and safety considerations, ethical concerns, and the impact of technological advancements on care services and workers. The report also provides specific recommendations for assistive devices tailored to individual needs, and evaluates the overall usefulness of technology in promoting independent living. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of balancing technological solutions with ethical practices and a commitment to user well-being.

Supporting
Independent Living

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1: Explain the use of technology to support the life of Sally in leading independent life...1
1.2: Barrier to the use of technology to support Sally independently....................................2
3.3: Benefits of these technologies to health and social care organisations and their users...3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1: Define health and safety considerations in health and social care..................................4
2.2: Ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies.............................................5
2.3: Impact of recent and emerging technological developments on health and social care
services, organisations and care workers................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
3.1: Identify James specific needs for support to live independently.....................................6
3.2: Recommend appropriate assistive devices in order to support Maggie to continue living
independently.........................................................................................................................7
3.3: Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users of health and social care services........7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Independent living is termed as an ability as to effectively analyse alternatives and
formulate conclusion and direct own life. It is a dynamic process and cannot be static. In context
with, supporting independent living it tend towards the right of making choice by disable or an
older person (Bedaf, Gelderblom and De Witte, 2015). Thus, independent right offer a right to
disable and older individual to live with freedom and have same right of participation along with
equal opportunities in order to sustain healthy living life. In this report, formative discussions
have been made on use of technology with the help of which independent life can be sustained
by an individual. In addition with this, importance of technology in health and social care are
also mentioned in this report. Along with this, ethical consideration in addition with their impacts
is included in context with utilization of technology. Furthermore, report includes questions
related to requirement to support independent life. Lastly, report include recommendations that
will further elaborate detailed knowledge about topic.
TASK 1
1.1: Explain the use of technology to support the life of Sally in leading independent life
Due to advancements in technology and innovations individual can now able to live their
life in a easy manner and can take advantage of multi functional devices with the help of which
they can lead their life in a effective manner. There are different types of digital gadgets that can
be considered by disable person as to live their life independently. In relation with sally by
taking advantage of internet, as she is suffering from numerous diseases that Technology can
help her to live her life in a best effective way. For example if there is a requirement for her to
take counselling advices or therapy then she can take it from a single click with the help of
technology. Mentioned below there are some advantages of Technology that can be considered
as to live life independently:
 Advancements in innovation and medicines effectively increases livelihood of so many
patients while including Sally as with the help of technology now they can easily take
medications and counselling sessions with the help of which they can be treated with less
difficulty.
 Technology provides so much convenience as now people can take advices and therapies
while staying at home. For instance remove testing is one of the innovative method with
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the help of which diagnosis patients are not required to visit hospitals in a frequent
manner and can be treated in a well effective manner.
 Different types of Advanced software’s like digital assistants, working in personal
computer and Speak reorganization act as one of the most essential element with the help
of which individual can live their life in simple way.
As per the above discussion it has been evaluated that technology act as an one of the most
crucial role in disabled person as with the help of technological assistance disable person can
independently live their life and can follow daily resume activities. In context with Sally, she
even not take gap with her job due to her health issue just because of the help of digital
assistance apart from this due to her double vision she take advantage of customers large
keyboard in order to not reduce her productivity.
1.2: Barrier to the use of technology to support Sally independently
Technology aid a person to overcome with numerous issues but on the same hand
Technology includes number of limitations this can create obstacles in the use of Technology
and better living of person. Mentioned below there are some hurdles of Technology is define:
Difficult to afford due to dynamic and frequent changes in innovative assistant devices it
include large amount of cost to afford which may find difficult for so many disabled persons to
purchase. As some of the technological devices like Walkers is cheap and an inexpensive device
for disable person. As these are cost effective but there are so many technological devices that
are still not affordable by so many disabled person due to their high cost which create difficulty
in their life to live independently.
Complex there are so many technological devices that comes with so much complexities in
operating and are build up with complicated designing function thus, this may create difficulties
for disabled persons to operate it in well effective manner.
Operate via batteries there are so many devices in which there is a requirement to use battery
thus, disabled persons are required to recharge that electronic devices as to use them in better
way this can create obstacles in leading their life in independent way. Moreover every
technological battery assistant device has limited life that directly leads towards affecting
utilisation of assistant devices.
Thus as per the above discussion it has been analysed, that due to high cost of
technological devices may find difficulty to afford them. In addition with this as Sally suffers
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from different types of sclerosis that requires attention of doctors while Technology assistance.
Therefore high cost of Technology can affect Sally to live her life independently.
3.3: Benefits of these technologies to health and social care organisations and their users
Technology is designed by specialist as they can be utilised by disable person in a better
manner. This cannot only aid disable person to live the life in a well effective manner but can
also provide assistance to Healthcare organisation as to treat that patients with use of innovative
devices. Mentioned below there are some certain aspects of Technology devices or mentioned
below:
Availability of devices organisation sometime faces difficulties to treat every patient just
with their personal assistants. Thus, with the help of technological assisting devices organisations
can effectively able to treat their patients in a well effective and cost effective manner. As it
decreases the issue related to manpower. Assistant devices or electronic devices effectively
benefits disable person to take treatment in a cost effective manner along with this Healthcare
authorities with the help of these technological assistance provide less costly treatments to their
patients at a reasonable rates (Hanson, Takahashi and Pecina, 2013).
Help in recovery process it is not necessary that disabled person can permanently cured
thus, with the help of technological assistant devices patient can be treated by making their injury
easier. In addition with this with the help of these devices disable person can be quickly
recovered.
Lead normal life disable person finds hard to live their life in the exact way as of normal
people and it further create many obstacles in the life of disable individuals to spend their life. As
it becomes hard for them to perform their day-to-day activities in the easy manner thus, with the
help of technological assistants disable person can somehow their life in a normal state where
they make face less problems.
Thus, as per the above discussions has been evaluated that technological assistant devices
effectively help disable person to become self-reliant. As with the support of this disable person
can effectively able to perform their day to day activities in a well effective manner and can lead
their life in a normal way.
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TASK 2
2.1: Define health and safety considerations in health and social care
With the help of electronic devices Healthcare organisation gain so much of advantages as to
treat the patients in a well effective manner but there are some disadvantages of these
technological assistance device as these devices only benefits patients in a short duration of time
rather than treating them in best effective manner for long duration of time aspects mentioned
below there are some health consideration defined below
Interrupt the process of recovery the main motive of assistant device is to effectively
aid disable individuals by making their life easier. While on the same hand overall dependency
on these devices can lack individual life in terms of willingness as the always seeks for
comfortable zones with the help of these technological assistant devices. This assistance only
provides benefits to a person in short duration of time and can further lead more time to improve
their living condition.
Affect the health for long term as with the help of these technological assistant devices
person can be recovered in a short duration of time but effect there health in long term. As these
devices aid disabled person to conduct their task by own and live their life in independent
manner but apart from this these devices can further create many obstacles and can hamper their
mentality.
Safety of the devices this is a serious elements in technological assistance devices
because of poor quality of electronic devices can affect disable person health and create further
injuries (Billis, 2013). As it could increase disability problems and can hamper their health.
Thus, it becomes essential for organisation to take proper precautions while maintaining patient’s
safeties as to use these products.
Carelessness of people this factors sometime cause big problem in the process of
recovery period. For example with the aid of technological assistant devices patients prefer to
visit doctor when they face serious issues in the difficulties. It will lead towards creating more
problems in future and can delay their fast recovery. As it is necessary for patients to follow
regular instructions from doctor but with the help of technological assistance they may show
carelessness in visiting therapist and doctors.
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Thus, as per the above mentioned discussions it is necessary for Healthcare organisations to take
precautions while taking use of these devices. As with the help of these devices patients can
finish their work in well effective manner and can further handle things efficiently.
2.2: Ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies
Ethics acts and one of the most crucial element while performing any activity. Lack of
ethical existence can lead towards unsatisfactory result. Thus, it becomes essential for Healthcare
organisation to treat their patients and perform their activities in an ethical manner. In this regard
it is essential for them to consider that Technologies and innovation not always solve problems
but can also adversely affect patients. Thus, in this Healthcare organisations are required to treat
the patients in best effective manner rather than thinking of their self motives. Mentioned below
there are some ethical concerns define:
Monitor the disabled persons it is essential for Healthcare organisation to use assistant
devices when there is an emergency case as to address disabled person problems. As these
devices monitor medical conditions of person and may hamper their privacy that can be termed
as an unethical practice as they can hamper individual privacy.
Less contact with external society assistant devices aid individuals as to not totally
depend on other individuals (Lau, Machizawa and Doi, 2012). Thus, with the help of these
devices disable person can easily able to live their life but on the same aspects they started living
there life isolated and not want any other individuals to indulge in their life. By doing this they
extract themselves from external society.
Not fix the problem With use of assistant devices disabled person become totally
dependent on these devices that create number of problems in their fast recovery and may create
further complications in order to fix their problems. In addition with this with the use of these
devices patients always think they disable that may affect their mental health.
Privacy breach: Some of the assistive technology requires the use of computer to share
the information these information of the disable person. It is not necessary that the details of the
person which always remain private. Thus, it may lead to the complicated situation where the
data can be utilised for the welfare of person.
Hence, Sally can depend upon the assistive devices but make sure that these devices
should not act as an ethical consideration that can affect their life by gaining the private details.
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2.3: Impact of recent and emerging technological developments on health and social care
services, organisations and care workers
Innovation in the technology are enhanced with the passage of time so that it can lead to
improvement and enhance the existing technology for the betterment of disable person (Nalin,
Baroni and Mazzara, 2016). Thus, constant development has lead to increase in efficiency while
carrying out the work. Moreover, with the increase in awareness’s the problem associated with
privacy concern are constantly decreasing. Like, Sally has the problem of double vision which
can be sort out with the help of virtual reality. Furthermore, there are various devices in the smart
phone that helps in setting alarm, scheduling the days for meeting and have the information
related to location to make their task easier.
TASK 3
3.1: Identify James specific needs for support to live independently
Person with disabilities such as learning disabilities, chronic health problems and limited
mobility and require some specific equipments. James with the age of 59 years suffering from
many problems including diabetes and epilepsy. He suspected that heart attract and could not
able to reach to the emergency alarm in room. Further, she was admitted in hospital for a month
and further wishes to discharge and go back to his flat in order to live independently. Therefore
with the help of technology change can able to cope up with the disease and can go back to his
flat and can live independently:
Reminder with the assistance with the help of this device James can able to do activities
as per according to their time. With the help of this sound system a beep occurs in a period of
short time period. With the help of this James can able to remain save his memory loss and can
further get back to the normal state.
Computer with the help of this technological device changes James can able to connect
with his family and friends. In addition with this with the help of this they can take assistant with
doctors that can even support in his memory loss with the help of which he can able to let their
life in independent way.
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3.2: Recommend appropriate assistive devices in order to support Maggie to continue living
independently
Assistive devices are mainly acts as an external devices that are developed and designs to
provide assistance to people in order to make them perform their task in a well effective way.
With the help of these devices disable person can able to conduct their regular activities and can
further take participation in community events. With the help of this they not only able to lead
their live life effective in a physical manner but can also able to gain mental satisfaction.
Assistive Technology effectively provides aid to individuals in their daily life with the help of
which they can live their life in the independent way (Coradeschi, 2013). With the help of these
measures James can able to live his life in independent way in his flat this can further gain
mental as well as physical satisfactions:
 It is essential for disabled person to make sure that first aid box is available with them so
that they can reach to that by themselves in a well effective manner and at the time of
emergency situations.
 It is Essential for disabled persons like James to effectively ensure that emergency
switches are available to the extent where they can reach that even in worst conditions.
By keeping it in mind they can able to save themselves and can reach to alarms as to
restrain themselves from any harmful event.
 In addition with this it is essential for diabetic patients like James to have smart toilets
with the help of which they can check their sugar level and their urine level conditions.
With the help of these measures patients can prevent their diseases from being get
increased and can solve further issues.
3.3: Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users of health and social care services
Technology provides different types of advantages to Healthcare organisation and patients.
With the help of this Healthcare organisation can effectively able to provide assistant and treat
patients in large number and can offer desirable solutions. With the help of these devices patients
in Healthcare organisation can get number of benefits (Doyle, 2014). Thus, it is essential for
Healthcare organisation to take advantage of these technological measures as to provide
assistance to patients in a cost effective manner. With the help of this they can able to treat their
patients in timely manner and can recover their injuries in short span of time. In addition with
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this, with the help of technological assistance requirement of continuous supervision of nurses
can also be reduced. For an instance if a patient find difficulty to walk then they may further take
advantage of Walker and sensors. Thus, with the help of technological measures Healthcare
organisations can reduce number of problems that may suffer by a patient in order to live their
life in an independent way. Further with the help of these technological measures patients can
able to recover soon and can lead their life in better effective way.
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report it has been concluded, that Technology helps disable
persons to live their life in independent way. With the use of assistant devices Healthcare
organisation can effectively able to treat their patients in a cost-effective and timely manner. As
these devices not only provide support to patient but can also provide them regular supervision
with the help of which patients can recover in a short span of time and can further able to
conduct their daily basis activities in a normal. Thus, it becomes essential for Healthcare
organisation to consider benefits of these assistant devices and treat their patients in best way.
With the help of technological devices patient can able to take therapist advices by staying at
home. Along with this it will further help them to lead their life in independent and well effective
way.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Bedaf, S., Gelderblom, G. J. and De Witte, L., 2015. Overview and categorization of robots
supporting independent living of elderly people: what activities do they support and
how far have they developed. Assistive Technology. 27(2). pp.88-100.
Bedaf, S. and et. al., 2014. Which activities threaten independent living of elderly when
becoming problematic: inspiration for meaningful service robot functionality. Disability
and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 9(6). pp.445-452.
Billis, A. S. And et. al., 2013, May. Towards a hierarchically-structured decision support tool for
improving seniors' independent living: the USEFIL decision support system. In
Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to
Assistive Environments (p. 27). ACM.
Billis, A. S. and et. al., 2014. A decision-support framework for promoting independent living
and ageing well. IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics. 19(1). pp.199-209.
Coradeschi, S. and et. al., 2013, June. Giraffplus: Combining social interaction and long term
monitoring for promoting independent living. In 2013 6th International Conference on
Human System Interactions (HSI) (pp. 578-585). IEEE.
de Jong Gierveld, J. J., Dykstra, P. and Schenk, N. N., 2012. Living arrangements,
intergenerational support types and older adult loneliness in Eastern and Western
Europe. Demographic Research. 27. pp.167-200.
Doyle, J. and et. al., 2014. Lessons learned in deploying independent living technologies to older
adults’ homes. Universal Access in the information society. 13(2). pp.191-204.
Elder-Woodward, J., 2013. Independent living: The frontier of communitarian welfare?.
Disability & Society. 28(2). pp.274-278.
Greeson, J. K. and et. al., 2015. Foster youth and social support: The first RCT of independent
living services. Research on Social Work Practice. 25(3). pp.349-357.
Hanson, G. J., Takahashi, P. Y. and Pecina, J. L., 2013. Emerging technologies to support
independent living of older adults at risk. Care Management Journals. 14(1). p.58.
Kaluža, B. and et. al., 2014. A multi-agent care system to support independent living.
International journal on artificial intelligence tools. 23(01). p.1440001.
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Kerssens, C. and et. al., 2015. Personalized technology to support older adults with and without
cognitive impairment living at home. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other
Dementias®. 30(1). pp.85-97.
Lau, D. T., Machizawa, S. and Doi, M., 2012. Informal and formal support among community-
dwelling Japanese American elders living alone in Chicagoland: An in-depth qualitative
study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. 27(2). pp.149-161.
Nalin, M., Baroni, I. and Mazzara, M., 2016. A holistic infrastructure to support elderlies'
independent living. In Encyclopedia of E-Health and Telemedicine (pp. 591-605). IGI
Global.
Pol, M. C. and et. al., 2013. Sensor monitoring to measure and support daily functioning for
independently living older people: a systematic review and road map for further
development. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 61(12). pp.2219-2227.
Pripfl, J. and et. al., 2016. Social service robots to support independent living. Zeitschrift für
Gerontologie und Geriatrie. 49(4). pp.282-287.
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