Conceptual models provide a theoretical basis for advancing scientific knowledge and improving professional practice. Although numerous assistive technology-related models have appeared in the literature, there has been no systematic effort to assess them. Six conceptual models are reviewed here: Cook and Hussey's Human-Activity-Assistive Technology model; the World Health Organization's Intern...

This paper presents how the contextual help system for a user-driven application may be generated automatically from the formal specifications of the application. In our case the formal specifications are based on Petri nets and the help system is built by transforming the Petri nets in an augmented transition network. This network is then used by the contextual help system in order to answer u...

Care of the elderly with dementia represents one of the major challenges for the modern society worldwide. The burden of dementia care often falls on the family members, entailing heavy psychosocial and economic consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the caregiver's perspective concerning the support for disease management on behalf of the physicians and the local Sicilian administ...

PURPOSE To investigate the characteristics and change in use among very old Swedish users and non-users of assistive devices (ADs) for mobility and personal care, over a six-year period, and to investigate factors predicting AD use over a six-year period. METHOD Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyse quantitative data from a subsample from the Swedish part of the ...

BACKGROUND In 1991, Riakona Community Rehabilitation Programme initiated community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. Subsequently, the South African government adopted the programme. AIM The aim of the study was to suggest an improvement in the model of providing CBR services. SETTING The study was conducted in six rehabilitation centres located in hospi...

Assistive technology (AT) is defined in this paper as ‘any device or system that allows an individual to perform a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increases the ease and safety with which the task can be performed’ (Cowan and Turner-Smith 1999). Its importance in contributing to older people’s independence and autonomy is increasingly recognised, but there has been little res...

Brain damage constitutes a major problem for those affected, for their families and friends and for society as a whole. The need for effective rehabilitation strategies is clear. Yet, until the early 1960s, the brain was generally considered to be a somewhat fixed and inflexible organ. In consequence the impairments associated with brain damage were generally regarded as "incurable". Since that...

Critical systems heuristics (Ulrich 1983) is a framework for reflective practice based on practical philosophy and systems thinking. The name stands for three major concerns. First, the aim is to enhance the ‘critical’ (reflective) competence not only of well-trained professionals and decision-makers but also of ordinary people. Second, reflective practice cannot be secured by theoretical means...