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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Ownership and use of assistive devices amongst older people in the community | | Author(s) | Nia I Edwards, Dee A Jones |
| Journal title | Age and Ageing, vol 27, no 4, July 1998 |
| Pages | pp 463-469 |
| Keywords | Assistive technology ; Walking aids ; Hearing aids ; Spectacles ; Usage [services] ; Physical disabilities ; Living in the community ; Social surveys ; Wales. |
| Annotation | A random sample of 1405 people aged 65 and over in three South Wales health authorities were asked about ownership and use of disability aids, spectacles and hearing aids. 74% of respondents owned one or more aid, 97% had spectacles and 16% a hearing aid. Most commonly used were a non-slip bath mat (50%), a walking stick (24%) and a bath rail (21%). Many severely disabled people, however, had no aids: 75% had no stair rail, 68% no lavatory rail, and 46% no non-slip bath mat. Most of the equipment owned was used. Walking frames and wheelchairs were used more by those over 75, as were all bathroom and lavatory appliances. Gender influenced the use of some aids: more women used their walking frames and bathroom rails than men. The study confirms that ownership and use of aids varies with age, gender, living arrangements and disability. Community services aim to promote autonomy and independence in older people in the community. This may be facilitated and enhanced by provision of appropriate equipment and increasing awareness of the value of assistive devices among older people, informal carers, and health and social care professionals. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-981208245 A |
| Classmark | M: MG: M8: M6: QLD: BN: K4: 3F: 9 |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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