Impact of Electronic Aids to Daily Living on the Lives of Persons With Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries
By Rigby, Patricia, MHSc; Ryan, Stephen, BESc, Peng; Joos, Shone, MSc; Cooper, Barbara, PhD; Jutai, Jeffrey W., PhD, CPsych; Steggles, Elizabeth, DipOT; Assistive Technology, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 89-97Publication Date: Fall 2005
Study conducted to evaluate the impact of electronic aids to daily living (EADL) on the functional abilities and psychosocial well being of people with cervical spinal cord injuries. Electronic aids to daily living are devices or systems that provide access to personal entertainment systems, computers, telephones, home security systems, lights, and thermostats via voice input, single switch, or computer access. A total of 32 adults with cervical spinal cord injuries participated in the study, which consisted of structured interviews. The experiences of 16 people who used EADLs were compared with a control group of people who did not use EADLs via scores on the Functional Autonomy Measuring Scale, the Lincoln Outcome Measures for Environmental Controls, and the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale. Results indicated that people who used EADLs had significantly better performance than non-users for instrumental activities of daily living and for 75 percent of 12 daily tasks. Many of the participants in the non-users group only had hands-free control of telephones, while the participants who used EADLs had control over a number of household devices, which added to their overall independence. The psychosocial impact of the technology proved to be a positive factor in adaptability, competence, and self-esteem.
Assistive Products Discussed: PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES SCALE (PIADS)
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
