Introduction to Assistive Technology 4.

When introducing technology to the

elderly and teaching them to use it,
1. Growing population of older adults will
there are several guidelines that can
change many aspects of health care.
be employed
One change will be an increase in the
5. Slide
number of people who experience a
disabling condition. As individuals age The Internet and the World Wide Web
or become disabled, mental and
1. Slide
physical changes may influence their
2. From the point of view of its users, the
ability to live as independently and
Internet as an assistive technology is a
productively as they would wish.
vast collection of resources that
2. Slide
includes people, information, and
3. As a tool for living, the primary
multimedia
purpose of assistive technology (Slide)
3. Slide
4. Slide
4. Many nurses work hard to shape at
5. The use of assistive devices may
least some of the Internet and World
enable independent performance,
Wide Web into a milieu for active
increase safety, reduce risk of injury,
participation that serves to inform,
improve balance and mobility, improve
educate, and advocate for older adults.
communication, and limit
Some nurses may specialize in
complications of an illness or disability.
nursing informatics
6. Slide
Nursing Informatics
Assistive Device Use
1. Slide
1. Living at home can be made easier
2. According to ANA: The Scope and
with the use of assistive devices.
Standards of Nursing Informatics
2. Slide
Practice is a professional guideline
3. Slide
and an essential reference for nurses.
4. Although studies have shown varied
A condensed outline of nursing
results, a consistent finding is that
informatics concepts, terms, roles, and
older adults are willing to use assistive
competencies
devices. Studies have also concluded
3. Although nursing informatics is a
that some individuals, particularly
growing area of specialization, all
those who are less impaired, might be
nurses can employ basic information
more likely to modify their behaviours
technology in their practice.
than use equipment or devices for
assistance. Web Site Design
Teaching About the Use of Assistive 1. Slide
Technology 2. Industry has only recently begun
adapting access to hardware and
1. Use of assistive technology is a type of
designing software that make
health behaviour among older adults to
accommodations for the needs of older
maintain their independence and
adults. This age group has specific
enable them to live at home.
abilities and performance attributes
2. Slide
that need to be addressed that
3. This type of technology offers the
coincide with several life changes
potential of increasing independence
3. Slide
and quality of life for older individuals,
4. In general, older adults are slower in
as well as reducing health-related
using the computer, travel to fewer
costs.
Web pages (, and spend more time
 selecting targets for tasks than
younger users. Many groups and
researchers have developed
comprehensive sets of guidelines to
improve Web design, and thus
accessibility for older adults
Teaching about Accessing Web Sites
1. To begin teaching older adults how to
access Web sites, the nurse needs to
be knowledgeable about the capacity
of the learner. The older adult must:
2. Slide
3. For those individuals with severe
motor disability, they must be able to
raise an eyebrow; puff with the mouth;
or tap with a finger, foot, or talk to
make selections. Adaptive or assistive
devices can be used to expedite the
learning process. In 1991, McNeely
identified eight factors affecting
teaching-learning outcomes for Web-
based instruction and older adults.
Each factor is described and expanded
upon in the following list:
1. Slide
2. (2) slide then Visual displays should
be simple and demonstrate only
important information. Relevant
information is presented and social
chatter is avoided to help prevent the
older adult from getting distracted
3. (3) slide then Thus, older and younger
adults need separate training
sessions. This will also prevent a
situation in which older adults would
hesitate to ask questions around
younger people for fear
embarrassment
4. (4) slide then Unlimited trials need to
be given. Cognitive support through
use of software is important, because
it offers nonthreatening and repetitive
tutoring that does not judge a person’s
mistakes
5. (5) Slide
6. (6) slide then A calm, patient,
unhurried, sensitive, interested, and
knowledgeable instructor can
decrease situational stress and
promote a climate of acceptance and
reassurance.
7. (7) slide then Use concrete language
as often as possible, because it is
absorbed more readily and efficiently
than abstract information. Printing a
hard copy of their work is beneficial.
Seeing work in print may increase
enthusiasm and a sense of productivity
and provide stimulus for further
participation
8. (8) slide then This should be done
right after an activity. Interactive
feedback via Web-based instruction
may stimulate learning
Learning Activities
1. Many adults participate in Web-based
learning activities that lead to
increased interaction and shared
learning. They use the Web to create
their own letters and use e-mail,
greeting cards, and posters in addition
to playing word and board games and
participating in music and art activities
2. Slide
3. And it would be impossible to
overstate the satisfaction older adults
can feel when they are called “the
coolest grandparent in the world”
because they have sent an e-mail or e-
greeting card or poster to a grandchild.
Health Information
1. The emphasis on early discharge and
the movement of care from inpatient
settings to the home mandates the
of
development of electronic information
systems to augment and extend
services
2. Slide
3. the ABLEDATA Web site can be used
to locate companies that sell particular
assistive devices
4. The National Institutes of Health and
the U.S. National Library of Medicine
currently maintain several Web sites
 designed to provide accurate health
information to consumers.

Healthcare Services
1. Beyond information searches, the
Internet has other applications. For
many years, traditional face-to-face
support groups facilitated by nurses
and other professionals have been
used extensively with positive
outcomes for persons and their family
members dealing with chronic
diseases and long-term illnesses
2. Slide
3. Televisual Web sites allow health care
providers to conduct virtual house calls
with older adults
4. . For example, Brennan et al. (2001)
demonstrated the effectiveness of
computer-mediated information and
support services for patients
recovering from coronary artery
bypass graft surgery
5. McKay, Glasgow, Feil, Boles, and
Barrera (2002) suggested that Web-
based information and support
interventions exert a positive impact on
health-promoting behaviors of patients
with Type 2 diabetes.