Abstract:

This article presents findings from the Consumer Assessments Study of the University at Buffalo Engineering Research Centre on Aging. It reports on data from the non-institutionalised elderly and confirms that they are at risk for needing assistive devices. In attempting to understand the concept of "need" the study collected and analysed data along several dimensions including: basic demographics (age, education, type of housing), health status, functional status, psycholgical dimensions (depression, self-esteem, etc), social resources and current use of assistive devices. The interview assessment procedure contained elements developed by the Oder Americans Research and Service Centre Instrument (OARS) including: physical health scales, instrumental activities of daily living scale, and social resources scale. The study found that visually impaired older persons are the highest users of assistive devices with a mean of 5.8 devices per person. The categories of devices needed varies according to the disability. There is a hgh level of unmet need for devices amongst non-institutionalised older persons. Expressed as a percentage of the total number of devices owned by each group of older persons, visually impaired older persons report problems with 18% of devices, mobility impaired with 17% and cognitively impaired with 37% of devices. Visually impaired and physically disabled older persons reported dissatisfaction with about 1 in every 5 assistive devices they own. Providers of assistive devices need to take into account the recreational habits of end users, such as hobbies and crafts. The sample for this study was not selected on the basis of device used but on the basis of subjects previously or currently receiving services from some agency or facility.