Mapping of assistive technology resources used by the aged

Abstract

The increase in life expectancy of the Brazilian population shows the number of people that age with functional capacity loss and increased dependency to perform daily activities. Assistive technology (AT) is a support for older adults to maintain their independence and functionality. The objectives of this study were: (i) to list assistive technology resources used by older adults assisted in a Centralized Health Unit (CHU) in the city of Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (ii) to describe the socioeconomic characteristics and chronic diseases reported by them, and (iii) to study the area of occupation – daily life activities and the category of resources used. One hundred and forty-four older adults aged 60 years or more participated in the study. For the data collection, two structured instruments devised by the authors were applied. The results showed that the use of assistive technology was beneath the expected for maintenance of the functional performance of older adults, except for the use of glasses. The average age of participants was 72.4 years (±7.8) and there was a predominance of women. Reported diagnoses were, in most cases, hypertension. Of the participants, 140 (97.2%) reported using a type of AT resource as an aid in some daily activity.