Currency and competence of occupational therapists and consumers with rapidly changing technology
Article
Article Title | Currency and competence of occupational therapists and consumers with rapidly changing technology |
---|---|
ERA Journal ID | 16684 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Steel, Emily J. (Author), Buchanan, Ricky (Author), Layton, Natasha A. (Author) and Wilson, Erin (Author) |
Journal Title | Occupational Therapy International |
Journal Citation | 2017, pp. 1-5 |
Article Number | 5612843 |
Number of Pages | 5 |
Year | 2017 |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 0966-7903 |
1557-0703 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/5612843 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.hindawi.com/journals/oti/2017/5612843/ |
Abstract | Assistive technology was once a specialized field of practice, involving products designed for populations with specific impairments or functional goals. In Australia, occupational therapists have, at times, functioned as gatekeepers to public funding, prescribing products from a pre-defined list. An expanding range of accessible mainstream products available via international and online markets has changed the meaning and application of assistive technology for many people with disability. In the policy context of consumer choice and cost-effectiveness, have occupational therapists been left behind? This paper describes the change in context for access to assistive technology resulting in expanded possibilities for participation and inclusion. A case study of environmental control systems is used to explore the overlap of mainstream and assistive products and the funding and services to support their uptake. The analysis describes a future policy and practice context in which assistive technology includes a spectrum of products de-coupled from access to independent advice and support services. A broader scope of occupational therapy practice has potential to enhance the occupational rights of people with disability and the efficiency and effectiveness of assistive technology provision. |
Keywords | assistive technology; occupational therapy; disability; choice; consumer; assistive products |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 440712. Social policy |
420318. People with disability | |
320699. Medical biotechnology not elsewhere classified | |
Byline Affiliations | University of Queensland |
No affiliation | |
La Trobe University | |
Deakin University | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q478z/currency-and-competence-of-occupational-therapists-and-consumers-with-rapidly-changing-technology
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