The Benefits of Environmental Control Units in Everyday Life, View of Users and Helpers
By Kanto-Ronkanen, Anne; Leino, Eeva; Salminen, Anna-Liisa; Assistive Technology - Shaping the Future: AAATE 2003 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 596-600Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to describe the benefits of environmental control unit (ECU) use in everyday life. A questionnaire was sent in May 2002 to 31 people who used ECU, who were also asked to forward the questionnaire to their helpers/relatives. Twenty-four users and 26 helpers returned the questionnaire. Upon questionnaire analysis, the researchers determined that among the sample, ECUs were used on a daily basis. Most respondents did not encounter any major difficulties in their use of ECUs, and reported that their caregivers rarely needed assistance using their devices. The most frequently mentioned command utilized across the study was door opening. Every respondent agreed that ECUs were a necessary part of their daily use, and that not having one would most likely result in needing more assistance in activities of daily living. Some respondents even reported that without ECUs, they would require assistance around the clock. Implications for further research are discussed.
Published by: IOS Press (Website:http://www.iospress.nl)
Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) (Web Site: http://www.aaate.net )
ISBN: 1-58603-373-5
