10 - Environmental control and assistive devices

Summary

Following a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI), a person may have residual deficits even after completing a therapeutic program designed to regain function. The deficits may be physical, cognitive, and/or psychosocial. To overcome these deficits, people frequently use assistive technology (AT). The terms assistive technology, assistive device, and assistive technology device are used synonymously. AT device refers to “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (Assistive Technology Act, 2004). Assistive devices include both low-technology items such as a long-handled shoehorn, and higher-technology devices such as computers with special interfaces. Assistive devices range from basic consumer products like a television remote, cordless phone, and microwave oven to more specialized devices such as walkers, assistive listening devices, or dressing sticks.

Environmental control devices provide another example of assistive devices. Environmental control devices can be set up to remotely operate electronic devices in the home (Mann, 1998), including lights, television, radio, phone, furnace, or air conditioner. Light timers, for example, are simple environmental control devices that turn lights on and off at pre-set times of day.

The AT increases a person's level of independence in performing tasks, and it may also have a positive impact on self-esteem. For example, after having a stroke, a woman experiences hemiplegia and becomes dependent on her husband for cutting food. This dependency may make her feel more like a child than a wife. To overcome the dependency, the woman works with an occupational therapist, who shows her how to use a rocker knife.