Assistive technology aims to improve the ability of individuals with disabilities or impairments to live independent lives.
What's available?
- Tracking devices and alarms, so that loved ones can be located and contacted easily in an emergency
- Medication reminders and pill dispensers programmed to give exact doses at the right times
- Smart devices that can perform actions in your home, using simple voice commands.
Assistive technology can help with:
Dementia and memory loss
Dementia activities
Epilepsy
- Embrace Epilepsy Watch (external link) - Smartwatch that instantly detects seizures and alerts relatives or carers when a seizure happens. The linked app also allows you to monitor possible seizure triggers, such as sleep, exercise and stress, to help you understand and better manage seizures.
- Epilepsy Anti-Suffocation Pillow (external link) - Made out of a special material which ensures that breathing won’t be restricted when a seizure happens at night. It reduces the risk of SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), meaning that you can sleep more soundly.
- Empatica care (external link)
Falls
- Hip Protectors - Reduce the chances of injury when you have a fall, with these hip protectors. They will even send an alert to relatives or carers when a fall happens, so that they can respond and give help immediately
- Fall Detection Alarm (external link) - Wireless wrist worn alarm that detects when a person falls.
Health and wellbeing
Medication management
House management
Smart home
- Amazon Echo (external link) - Switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, turn up the thermostat while reading in your favourite chair, or dim the lights from the couch to watch a film - all without lifting a finger, thanks to the Amazon Echo
- Stay Safe At Home Sensors (external link) - Wireless movement sensors to stick up around the house so you can see how active someone is and know if they suddenly stop moving about like they normally do.
- iSmart Wireless Home Security Alarm Package - Monitor and manage your doors and windows, and identify and monitor movement, all through these portable and wireless devices. If something isn’t right, you’re notified immediately on your smartphone and you can control the response.
People powered technology
Accessories
Useful websites
There are a range of organisations that offer technology to help older people and those with long term needs to live more independently and with an improved quality of life, these include:
Useful apps