Assistive Technology - gadgets and aids for independence

Assistive Technology - gadgets, aids and equipment to help you live independently with confidence.

What is Assistive Technology?

‘Assistive technology’ is “any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people” or “any device or system that allows individuals to perform tasks that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increases the ease and safety with which tasks can be performed.”

Assistive technology can cover a very wide range of equipment from very simple ‘low - tech’ items such as calendar clocks to more ‘high - tech’ items such as sensors that can detect accidents or emergencies in the home and can be monitored by a community alarm service, known as Telecare.

Who is Assistive Technology for?

Assistive Technology devices are of benefit to anybody who needs a little extra help to continue to live independently in their own homes and can provide help with the following aspects of independent living:

• Safety in the home these are devices that can help improve safety in the home. They include gas, smoke, extreme temperature and flood detectors as well as simple lighting solutions and sophisticated systems which can control lots of different functions within the home from a single remote control unit.
• Health and Personal Safety these are devices that monitor a person rather than an aspect of the home environment, as above. These devices can monitor a person for a specific health condition such as epilepsy, can raise an alarm should a person fall and outside of the home can be used to find a person should they go missing, or enable a person to request help should they become dis-orientated when away from their home.
• Communication these are devices that can help to support communication. They include easy to use telephones and mobile phones, and simple solutions for people to call for help from another person within their home.
• Prompts and Reminders these are devices that can help act as prompts and reminders by providing visual and audible cues. They include clock calendars, medication reminders and memo minders

How do I find out more about Assistive Technology?

Please click on the link to download a copy of the Assistive Technology Guide with information on products, suppliers and how to go about obtaining Assistive Technology.

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