UKCBC-HOLBORN COLLEGE

Supporting
Independent Living

Mentor: Yonas Teweldebrhan

Student: Florinela Naida
Student Number:17000495
 Content

Introduction
1.1 Explain how technology can be used to support users of health and
social care services in living independently.
1.2 Analyse barriers to the use of technology to support users of health
and social care services in living independently.
1.3 Explain the benefits of these technologies to health and social care
organizations and their users.
2.1 Explain health and safety considerations in the use of technologies
in health and social care.
2.2 Discuss ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies.
2.3 Explain the impact of recent and emerging technological
developments on health and social care services, organizations and care
workers.
3.1 Identify the specific needs of an individual requiring support to live
independently
3.2 Make recommendations for how technologies might support
independent living arrangements.
3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users of health and social
care services
Conclusion
References

Introduction
1.1 Explain how technology can be used to support
users of health and social care services in living
independently.
Independent life is the opportunity to live independently in the
community. This does not mean living alone, but it is the power of other
decisions for the pre-life, just like non-disabled people. (Jill Weiss)
Independent life means the ability to lead your own life, with the help of
information, and support systems for people with disabilities. Disabled
people must eliminate artificial fears and barriers to have full and equal
participation in society. (Michael Huck)

Source: http://welcomeindependentliving.co.uk/
A study by the United Nations shows that around 10% of the
world's population, 650 million people, live with a disability, that is
considered the largest minority in the world. Objectively speaking,
disability is a part of our reality, is something that everybody faces in the
way normal at least once in a lifetime - or come in contact through
someone close or whether it is happening personally for a longer or
shorter term with a complexity pronounced.
The development of medicine and athletics has resulted in
benefits for people with disabilities in recent decades. Also, medical
changes are essential and have a maximum impact on people with
disabilities. These social and cultural changes are necessary to improve
the lives of people with disabilities (Woolf, 2007).
Techniques, equipment, medicines, and procedures used by
health professionals to help people in need of specific care represent
technological progress (Fleisher, 1998). All these advances have also
served to increase the availability of effective therapeutic strategies and
even to remedy diseases that reduce life expectancy or quality of life
(Mechanic, 2002).
From the category of technologies that help people with special
needs are included:
Assisted listening systems-these systems transmit sound through
hearing aids or headphones. They can be infrared, circular or FM and
come to the aid of people with disability.
Writing machine - phone (TTY). Known as text phone (TT), or device
Telecommunications for deaf (TDD), TTY is a device for phone that is
used with the phone (and the phone number telephone) for
communication between the disabled, speech and hearers.
A utility dog can be a guide dog, a help dog, or a dog for the blind. My
job is in a place where people live independently in their homes and we
have a resident who is sadly blind and a puppy guides his steps every
day.

Sally, the patient in the case study suffers from multiple sclerosis.
Fortunately, there are several technologies and developments that help
people suffering from this disease. These technologies come to support
and help patients live independently such as:
--the quality of life of the patients is improved through treatments and
quality services made available to them
- thanks to the advanced technology it is possible to test remotely what
means fewer visits to the healthcare institutions
-the patient can continue their daily work, with the help of Sally's life
technology is better, feeling independent
--tasting, working with computers, speech, may be possible with the help
of technology such as Personal Digital Assistant and Speech
Recognition Software (Wanless, 2002)

1.2 Analyse barriers to the use of technology to

support users of health and social care services in
living independently.
 In health and social care, the specific needs of each sick person are
resolved by an appropriate procedure to make that person at the heart of
all "care or service" (Pennebaker, 1981).
In our case study, Sally is a patient suffering from multiple sclerosis
(MS), requiring health and social care services with support from
technology. Unfortunately, there are barriers to using technology. It is
difficult to diagnose this disease in the early stages, there is also no cure
to prevent this disease.
The number of patients diagnosed with this disease is very high,
making it difficult for neurologists to give due attention to each patient.
The most common cause of depression and pain is the appearance of
this disease. Technology support in the life of patients diagnosed with
sclerosis plays a very important role in their lives, helping them to live an
independent life. Treatment can significantly ease the lives of people
with multiple sclerosis. The type of treatment depends on the severity of
the symptoms and the fact that the disease is in the active or remission
phase.
Although with the current treatment, multiple sclerosis cannot be
cured, drugs can reduce the number, frequency and severity of relapses
and may slow the progression of the disease. Starting treatment as soon
as possible after diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can prevent or delay the
appearance of definitive damage to the nervous system.

Source: https://www.jmir.org/2017/2/e28/

Despite the interventions offered by these technologies, there are

obstacles in using the technologies. Some of these barriers are:
- the limited budget, or better, the lack of money to buy the equipment
-thereis no cure to help complete the disappearance of multiple
sclerosis and to diagnose the disease in the early stages
-lack of specialized staff to oversee the implementation of new
technologies
-- the social welfare sector often avoids using technology, considering it
to be too complicated or not suitable for providing health care and care.
-a problem is also the lack of knowledge and information of managers
about assistive technologies and the range of products available
(Woolham et al., 2012).
-there are no facilities such as lack of access to the wheelchair home

1.3 Explain the benefits of these technologies to

health and social care organisations and their
users.
Any service or technology that allows the independence of people
with special needs is called Assistance Technology (King's Fund 2001).
These technologies include:
- Devices related to telephone answering teams
- alarm services, fire detectors
-detectors that, in the event of a person's need, fall of an alarm alert staff
to help
-mobility support technology supported by mobility aids, wheelchairs
- personal digital assistance, which is worn by the sick person, around
his or her neck or hand, and can access it if needed, receiving
immediate help
-hearing devices and gears and patches for the eyes
 Source: http://ibacnet.org/meaning-of-limitations-in-hindi/

The use of technology brings benefits to both service users and

health care and social care organizations.
The benefits to the health and care organization are:
- Relating patient care safely, for example using the hoist
-Using IT services, providing support and assistance to patients without
direct involvement with cost and resource reduction
-the ability to use the correct self-management technique to improve
communication for patients, doctors, and staff
-the use of technology, allows for cost and resource reduction, with the
opportunity to address a larger number of applicants to help all users
and people with special needs
-enhance the quality of care and promote the safety and health
Benefits to patients' lives using technology are the following:
- With the help of technology, patients can have independent lifestyles,
- more self-confidence, develop their learning abilities and abilities
-with the help of technology, they can continue their career and continue
to do daily work in the household
- motivation due to avoidance of disability, having the power to move
with technology, patients regain confidence
-technology facilitates collaboration with support staff (Marinker, 1998)
-the people can leave independently and use the technology reduced
accidents and falls at the home.
In our Sally case study diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it is
difficult to write to go and do other daily life activities. Changed aids were
brought to him to carry out his day-to-day activities and changed his car,
so Sally could drive her. A social worker helped her manage finances.
After the psychologist's assessment, Sally received a personal digital
assistant (PDA) that helps her remember what she must do, for example
not forgetting to take her medication

2.1 Explain health and safety considerations in the

use of technologies in health and social care.
The primary law covering the safe and security in an organization is
the Health and Safety in Work Act 1974. Following this law, the
organization has a responsibility to cover the safe to employs, residents,
and visitors.

In order to ensure as much as possible safety and well-being

during work, the employer must carry out a risk assessment. For
example: in my place to work risk assessment will need to do periodic, it
is very important to protect life to the resident and the safety to the carer.
There are people who, for example, have been changed as a hoist
because of their evaluation, they no longer have the ability to stand up
for themselves.
Within organizations to deal with risks, there are official policies
that need to be respected to protect the health and safety of both
employees and service users.
For work to be safe for risk prevention, organizations need to:
-the staff must have completed training
-the work practices are safe and respected
= installations and machines are checked and safe
- work practices are safe and respected
- to establish emergency plans, to provide free protection equipment
= to report accidents, injuries or dangerous events
 Also, each employee, in order to maintain health and safety, has the
duty to:
 -Review the organization's policies
- keep work and clean equipment
-to keep clean and clean work
Employee competencies should be developed continuously to
maintain good care of service users.

2.2 Discuss ethical considerations in the use of

assistive technologies.
Ethics is a branch of philosophy, which is behavioural rules based
on ideas about what is good or bad from a moral point of view.

The four principles of ethics in health and social care are:

Autonomy represents independence and personal laws of day-to-day
life. Very often, by introducing assistive technology, it can be drastically
restricted, or a person's autonomy can be promoted. Also, the dilemmas
can easily appear. At my place of work, I have a wheelchair residency.
The seat is very old, and it puts her in danger because of why she was
given another wheelchair for her safety. She says the new chair is not
comfortable, wanting to use the old wheelchair, thus putting her safety in
jeopardy. We had to respect its autonomy, but I explained the risks to
which it exposes, and I persuaded her to accept the new wheelchair.
Beneficence- Assistance technology provides safety and trust to
service users, can increase comfort and control. Health and social care
professionals are determined if the technologies used in a person with
special needs are in use. It is important for people with special needs to
be consulted if they are happy to use support technology.
Non-maleficence - Although help technology benefits people with
special needs, it can also expose people to risk. For example, with the
help of a hoist, people can be moved from a wheelchair to a sofa, so
they help the person. But the use of the hoist by people unqualified or
used when not in perfect working order may expose the user to dangers.
Justice - resources for support technology services must be
allocated in such a way that the needs of the service user are
balanced with the needs of the community.
Practical points for ethical use of support technology are:
Assessment
Consent to use of assistive technology
Risks associated with technology
Sourcing equipment
Installation
Social isolation and wellbeing

2.3 Explain the impact of recent and emerging

technological developments on health and social
care services, organizations and care workers.
3.1 Identify the specific needs of an individual
requiring support to live independently
3.2 Make recommendations for how technologies
might support the independent living
arrangements.
3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users
of health and social care services.
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