Occupational therapists’ perspectives on assistive technology services provision for older adult’s clients: A literature review

ABSTRACT

Occupational therapists (OTs) play a significant role in assistive technology (AT) services. The personal perspective of OTs could affect the provision of AT services. Understanding the relationship between the perspectives of OTs and the provision of AT services to older adult clients is crucial to this study. The study was conducted in the form of rapid narrative analysis. Seven articles of four categories were found and analyzed. The categories are perspective on practice, facilitators, barriers, and needs. OTs provide AT services to older adult clients as part of a person-centred care approach; however, limited follow-up care, timing, and awareness were cited as barriers to AT services delivery. Caregiver involvement is a potential factor for AT services delivery. Although, education and training on the use of the AT are required. It’s important to note that, there is no relevant data from low and middle-income countries.

KEYWORDS:

• Assistive device
• disabilities
• geriatrics
• home device
• occupational therapy

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for conferring a scholarship entitled ‘Asian Human Resource Development Project for Medical Professionals’ to the primary investigator. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge Mr Daryl Patrick G. Yao and Ms Chiyomi Yatsu for their valuable feedback on this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).