Assistive Technology: Mobility Products: Difference between revisions
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
Mobility can be described as "an individual’s ability to move his or her body within an environment or between environments and the ability to manipulate objects"<ref name=":0">Cowan, R.E., Fregly, B.J., Boninger, M.L. et al. Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility. J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 9 | Mobility can be described as "an individual’s ability to move his or her body within an environment or between environments and the ability to manipulate objects"<ref name=":0">Cowan, R.E., Fregly, B.J., Boninger, M.L. et al. Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility. J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 2012; 9 (20). <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-9-20</nowiki></ref>. An individual’s ability to perform any mobility task can be compromised by impaired body functions or structures. Mobility can get restricted gradually, as occurs with [[MS Multiple Sclerosis|multiple sclerosis]], or instantly, as occurs with [[Spinal Cord Injury|traumatic spinal cord injury]], [[Stroke|cerebral vascular accidents]], and limb [[amputations]]. It can also affected by less obvious impairments. For example, associated [[Pain Behaviours|pain]] can significantly alter walking ability<ref name=":0" />. | ||
[[Category:Assistive Technology Content Development Project]] | [[Category:Assistive Technology Content Development Project]] | ||
[[Assistive Devices|Assistive devices]] and technologies are those whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s optimal level of functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being<ref>WHO. Disability: Assistive devices and technologies.https://www.who.int/disabilities/technology/en/</ref>. | [[Assistive Devices|Assistive devices]] and technologies are those whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s optimal level of functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being<ref>WHO. Disability: Assistive devices and technologies.https://www.who.int/disabilities/technology/en/</ref>. | ||
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights the responsibility of States to take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, and a corresponding responsibility to promote and ensure availability and access to mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies (UN, 2006). | The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights the responsibility of States to take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, and a corresponding responsibility to promote and ensure availability and access to mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies (UN, 2006)<ref name=":1">WHO- Joint Position paper on the provision of mobility devices in less resourced settings (2011). http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44780/9789241502887_eng.pdf;jsessionid=F3B1F1E49BD2A00D1F5C60D8DED6D0BE?sequence=1</ref>. | ||
== What are mobility products? == | == What are mobility products? == | ||
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The [[International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)|ICF]] framework underlines that ’disability’ results from the dynamic interaction of the user, technology, and the environment. There might be restricted participation of an individual because of a dissociation between environmental demands and the individual’s mobility resources, and technology may assist either indirectly (therapy) or directly (physical assistance) enhancing the individual's participation in society<ref name=":0" />. | The [[International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)|ICF]] framework underlines that ’disability’ results from the dynamic interaction of the user, technology, and the environment. There might be restricted participation of an individual because of a dissociation between environmental demands and the individual’s mobility resources, and technology may assist either indirectly (therapy) or directly (physical assistance) enhancing the individual's participation in society<ref name=":0" />. | ||
Mobility products are designed to facilitate or enhance a user’s personal mobility – i.e. ability to change and maintain body position and walk and move from one place to another | Mobility products are designed to facilitate or enhance a user’s personal mobility – i.e. ability to change and maintain body position and walk and move from one place to another. | ||
They can be: | They can be: | ||
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# [[Walking Aids|Walking aids,]] | # [[Walking Aids|Walking aids,]] | ||
# [[Prosthetics|Prosthetic]] devices, and [[Orthotics|Orthotic]] devices<ref>International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Prosthetics and orthotics services. https://www.ispoint.org/page/POservices </ref>. | # [[Prosthetics|Prosthetic]] devices, and [[Orthotics|Orthotic]] devices<ref>International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Prosthetics and orthotics services. https://www.ispoint.org/page/POservices </ref>. | ||
The benefits of using these mobility products are: | The benefits of using these mobility products are: | ||
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== Provision of Mobility Products == | == Provision of Mobility Products == | ||
These devices are provided by a broad range of stakeholders like governments , international agencies, non-governmental organizations (including charitable and faith-based organizations), and the private sector. In some countries, they are an integral part of healthcare and are provided through Ministry of Health, while in some other countries, the Ministry of Social Welfare takes this responsibility. | These devices are provided by a broad range of stakeholders like governments , international agencies, non-governmental organizations (including charitable and faith-based organizations), and the private sector. In some countries, they are an integral part of healthcare and are provided through Ministry of Health, while in some other countries, the Ministry of Social Welfare takes this responsibility<ref name=":1" />. | ||
Individuals can access these products from hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mobile/outreach facilities and community-based programmes, and also from private retailers and special education agencies. | Individuals can access these products from hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mobile/outreach facilities and community-based programmes, and also from private retailers and special education agencies<ref name=":1" />. | ||
The health personnel involved in the provision of mobility devices, includes therapists (e.g. occupational therapists and physiotherapists), medical staff , orthotists and prosthetists, and community-based rehabilitation workers. | The health personnel involved in the provision of mobility devices, includes therapists (e.g. occupational therapists and physiotherapists), medical staff , orthotists and prosthetists, and community-based rehabilitation workers. | ||
== | == Additional information == | ||
There is constant improvement going on in the development of these products in terms of their efficiency and technology. A paper published in 2012 observed a seamless integration of the capabilities of the user and the assistive technologies. They stated that the approaches to enhance integration can be broadly classed into three areas: | |||
# improvements to the assistive technology mechanics (hardware and software interface; | |||
# improvements to the user-technology physical interface; and | |||
# improved shared control between the user and the technology<ref name=":0" />. | |||
A review conducted in 1996<ref>Scherer M. Outcomes of assistive technology use on quality of life, Disability and Rehabilitation, 1996;18:9, 439-448, DOI: 10.3109/09638289609165907</ref> supported matching a person and technology considering the environments of device use, characteristics of the user's preferences and expectations, and device features and functions. They concluded that for assistive technologies to enhance users' quality of life, the focus should be on consumer involvement in the selection and evaluation of appropriate assistive technology, and ways to make technologies more widely available and affordable. | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 11:09, 7 June 2021
Original Editors - Rucha Gadgil
Top Contributors - Rucha Gadgil, Naomi O'Reilly, Kim Jackson and Angeliki Chorti
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Mobility can be described as "an individual’s ability to move his or her body within an environment or between environments and the ability to manipulate objects"[1]. An individual’s ability to perform any mobility task can be compromised by impaired body functions or structures. Mobility can get restricted gradually, as occurs with multiple sclerosis, or instantly, as occurs with traumatic spinal cord injury, cerebral vascular accidents, and limb amputations. It can also affected by less obvious impairments. For example, associated pain can significantly alter walking ability[1]. Assistive devices and technologies are those whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s optimal level of functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being[2].
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights the responsibility of States to take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, and a corresponding responsibility to promote and ensure availability and access to mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies (UN, 2006)[3].
What are mobility products?[edit | edit source]
The ICF framework underlines that ’disability’ results from the dynamic interaction of the user, technology, and the environment. There might be restricted participation of an individual because of a dissociation between environmental demands and the individual’s mobility resources, and technology may assist either indirectly (therapy) or directly (physical assistance) enhancing the individual's participation in society[1].
Mobility products are designed to facilitate or enhance a user’s personal mobility – i.e. ability to change and maintain body position and walk and move from one place to another.
They can be:
- Wheelchairs: manually propelled by the user, pushed by someone else, or electrically powered. Their fitting, design and accessories are individual specific selected after careful assessments.
- Scooters,
- Walkers,
- Walking Poles
- Canes, Crutches,
- Walking aids,
- Prosthetic devices, and Orthotic devices[4].
The benefits of using these mobility products are:
- More independence,
- Reduced pain,
- Increased confidence and self-esteem.
- reduced efforts and physical burden for caregivers
- improved health and quality of life
Provision of Mobility Products[edit | edit source]
These devices are provided by a broad range of stakeholders like governments , international agencies, non-governmental organizations (including charitable and faith-based organizations), and the private sector. In some countries, they are an integral part of healthcare and are provided through Ministry of Health, while in some other countries, the Ministry of Social Welfare takes this responsibility[3].
Individuals can access these products from hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mobile/outreach facilities and community-based programmes, and also from private retailers and special education agencies[3].
The health personnel involved in the provision of mobility devices, includes therapists (e.g. occupational therapists and physiotherapists), medical staff , orthotists and prosthetists, and community-based rehabilitation workers.
Additional information[edit | edit source]
There is constant improvement going on in the development of these products in terms of their efficiency and technology. A paper published in 2012 observed a seamless integration of the capabilities of the user and the assistive technologies. They stated that the approaches to enhance integration can be broadly classed into three areas:
- improvements to the assistive technology mechanics (hardware and software interface;
- improvements to the user-technology physical interface; and
- improved shared control between the user and the technology[1].
A review conducted in 1996[5] supported matching a person and technology considering the environments of device use, characteristics of the user's preferences and expectations, and device features and functions. They concluded that for assistive technologies to enhance users' quality of life, the focus should be on consumer involvement in the selection and evaluation of appropriate assistive technology, and ways to make technologies more widely available and affordable.
References [edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cowan, R.E., Fregly, B.J., Boninger, M.L. et al. Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility. J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 2012; 9 (20). https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-9-20
- ↑ WHO. Disability: Assistive devices and technologies.https://www.who.int/disabilities/technology/en/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 WHO- Joint Position paper on the provision of mobility devices in less resourced settings (2011). http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44780/9789241502887_eng.pdf;jsessionid=F3B1F1E49BD2A00D1F5C60D8DED6D0BE?sequence=1
- ↑ International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Prosthetics and orthotics services. https://www.ispoint.org/page/POservices
- ↑ Scherer M. Outcomes of assistive technology use on quality of life, Disability and Rehabilitation, 1996;18:9, 439-448, DOI: 10.3109/09638289609165907
