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By
Sandra Fusion, Staff Writer
Work or Play:
Where Technology Can Help the Most?
Often times technology is
thought of when trying to help an individual
move back into the work place or to make the
workplace more accessible. There are also social
reasons to look at technology as a way to
increase someone’s mobility. Social skills and
interaction is where many people are able to
have a creative outlet and increase their
personal network. It may be that mobility is a
primary concern when getting someone to and from
work – or even at the workplace. It may also be
a serious factor in determining how someone is
going to receive medical care.
Families should include
social outings, sporting events, and other
opportunities for entertainment when fashioning
technology to meet the mobility issues of the
individual. A product that provides both work
and health benefits, yet is not responsive to
the social needs of an individual, may not
provide the full solution.
Home Modifications and Technology:
Technology may be able to
play a beneficial role when modifying or
renovating the patient’s home due to
accessibility or mobility issues. For example,
some door companies can provide products that
are activated by push panels or remote control
to reduce or eliminate the amount of pressure
needed to open a door. Remote control venetian
blinds can add natural lighting to a room with
little effort. Ramps constructed to either the
outside or inside of the home can make it easier
to move from one room of the house or another
and even to make entering and leaving less
demanding.
These areas are only a beginning to the ways that
technology can enhance someone’s mobility. There
are many other areas to be considered, and with
the rate of technology advances, more products
are in development each day. Even if a solution
is not immediately found, continued research on
the issue can yield answers or avenues of
exploration as advances continue.
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