Does technology have a role to play in assisting therapy in a care or home environment? A review of practical issues for health practitioners

Assistive technology is a term used to describe any device ranging from simple equipment to complex technologies that can assist a person with a disability. The term is now applied to new technological devices to facilitate active rehabilitation as well as to equipment to enable a person to live with their condition. Current developments such as technology for stroke rehabilitation are rarely brought to the attention of health and social care practitioners, even though frontline staff will be at the forefront of implementation, and their views of the nature of devices and their appropriateness is pivotal. This paper describes some of the technologies being developed to assist the process and delivery of stroke rehabilitation, their potential benefits in practice and stakeholder perceptions of these new technologies.