Demonstrating daily living devices to older people with sight loss: a programme evaluation with implications for good practice and policy development
- Author:
- PERCIVAL John
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Visual Impairment, 30(2), 2012, pp.79-90.
- Publisher:
- Sage
In 2009/2010 the Thomas Pocklington Trust funded a programme that sought to understand staff and service users’ knowledge of and attitudes towards assistive technology, particularly daily living devices. This article describes and evaluates the programme of assistive technology demonstration projects that resulted. These aimed to identify the information and support needs, as well as preferences and priorities, of older people with sight loss. The programme involved a series of projects across five sites in England. They typically involved specially trained lead members of staff displaying, discussing and demonstrating daily living devices and encouraging service users to try out items of interest. The evaluation revealed that although participants with sight loss had limited knowledge of generic and low-vision devices, they were keen to find technological solutions to routine difficulties, and valued devices of practical design and ease of use that promote safety and independence. It was also evident that participating support staff would benefit from increased levels of awareness, confidence and training to maximise and operationalise service users’ access to, and appropriate use of, assistive technology.
- Subject terms:
- training, visual impairment, access to services, activities of daily living, assistive technology, attitudes;
- Content type:
- practice example
- Location(s):
- England
- Link:
- Journal home page
- ISSN print:
- 0264 6196