We present the current work on posture and movement recognition in the European FP7 project CONFIDENCE – Ubiquitous Care System to Support Independent Living. CONFIDENCE aims at providing care for the elderly using radio tags attached to the body. The part of the project described in this paper deals with the reconstruction and interpretation of the user’s behavior in order to raise an alarm or...

From the earliest recorded history, people with disabilities have been ostracized, rejected, and discriminated against in society. Although social work has a history rich in advocacy for oppressed people, the profession has been hesitant to become involved with people with disabilities. This article addresses historical and contemporary issues concerning disability. Recent developments in the d...

Very little information is available on the role of occupational therapy in the care of cancer patients who are being actively treated for metastatic disease. To gain information on occupational therapy assessment and treatment procedures, we reviewed the records of 54 adult inpatients who received occupational therapy services during a hospital admission. We found that assessment focused on in...

We are facing significant changes in healthcare. Its role is extending from treatment to prevention and remote patient monitoring and up to health maintenance through fitness, weight management and in general healthier lifestyle. Healthcare is enlarging its scope beyond the patient domain and is including the support to people with special needs such as elderly and disabled for an independent l...

AIM The aim of the study was to compare costs and consequences for an integrated care pathway intervention group with those of a usual care group for patients admitted with hip fracture. BACKGROUND Rehabilitation for patients with hip fracture consists of training in hospital and/or in a rehabilitation unit, and on their own at home with assistance from community care staff. It is important f...

OBJECTIVES Financial decision-making (FDM) is crucial for independent living. Due to cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging, older adults might have difficulties in some aspects of FDM. However, an improved knowledge, personal experience and affective decision-making, which are also related to normal aging, may lead to a stable or even improved age-related performance in some other asp...

To many people, home is a sanctuary. For those people who need special medical care, they may need to be pulled out of their home to meet their medical needs. As the population ages, the percentage of people in this group is increasing and the effects are expensive as well as unsatisfying. We hypothesize that many people with disabilities can lead independent lives in their own homes with the a...

Facilities variously known as independent living centers, disabled living centers, disability information centers, and resource centers now exist in many parts of the world. Although occupational therapists offer valuable perspectives on quality of life, knowledge of assistive technology, and a holistic view of clients' needs, occupational therapy is not always a part of these centers. Occupati...

This study examined the influences of individual and social risk factors on alcohol and marijuana use among a sample of foster care adolescents. Data were collected through baseline structured interviews with 320 adolescents (aged 15-18 years) who resided in foster care placements and participated in a larger evaluation study of an independent living program. Approximately 40% of the adolescent...

A study was conducted to assess how a new metric, average in-home gait speed (AIGS), measured using a low-cost, continuous, environmentally mounted monitoring system, compares to a set of traditional physical performance instruments used for mobility and fall risk assessment of elderly adults. Sixteen participants were recruited from a local independent living facility. In addition to having th...