Week Two: Lifetec & Assistive Technologies (AT)

This week we were fortunate to have first hand experience with numerous assistive devices and technology at Lifetec Queensland.  Many thanks to the staff for sharing their time & knowledge. A few things stood out for me from the visit... One, just how medical everything felt; perfectly suited to a high-care facility or hospital ward, but not a home. And two, how expensive some items were. $1500 for a Parkinson's walker that felt as though it didn't offer any more than a BMX in its technology or design... (except perhaps for the laser). And $63 for a potato peeler? I mean really?




Parkinson's Walker $1500

 



BMX ...yours for about $400.

Some items were cleverly simple in their design solutions, however many felt somewhat incomplete or unrefined. 

Rocking knife, provides a more secure grip and requires less dexterity



Bowl tipper, self-explanatory, but looks as though it was made in a highschool shop class.
Imagine trying to secure those little ocky strap clips?



Personal alert devices, stylish bracelets or pendants that connect to a response system in the event of an emergency - for falls and the like.  You just have to remember to wear it - and really, would you want to?

 We spent ages 'playing' with nifty little gadgets and wheeling around in motorised chairs, all the while your conscious is saying, 'This is not supposed to be fun, this is supposed to be serious, imagine if you had to put up with these things everyday?' We learned that 50% of AT is abandoned, and no wonder really.