The impact of assistive living technology on perceived independence of people with a physical disability in executing daily activities: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Purpose

People with physical disabilities often require lifetime support and experience challenges to maintain or (re)define their level of independence. Assistive living technologies (ALT) are promising to increase independent living and execution of activities of daily living (ADL). This paper provides a systematic literature review that aims to analyse the present state of the literature about the impact of ALT on perceived independence of people with a physical disability receiving long-term care.

Materials and methods

Databases Embase, Medline, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies from 2010 or later.

Results

Nine studies were included, of which seven qualitative, one quantitative, and one mixed methods. Quality was generally high. ALT enabled participants to execute ADL. We found six themes for the impact of ALT on perceived independence: feeling enabled, choice and control, feeling secure, time alone, feeling less needy, and participation.

Conclusions

ALT appears to impact perceived independence in many ways, exceeding merely the executional aspect of independence. Existing research is limited and quite one-sided. More large-scale studies are needed in order to inform care organisations how to implement ALT, especially considering societal developments and challenges impacting long-term care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• People with a physical disability receiving long-term care experience that assistive living technology impacted their independence.

• Their independence is increased by making them feel enabled, secure, and less needy and increasing their choice and control, time alone, and participation.

• Most studies focused on the use of environmental control systems by people with spinal cord injury.

• More research is needed to evaluate long-term effects of diverse assistive living technologies used by people with a physical disability receiving long-term care.

Keywords:

• Activities of daily living
• assistive living technology
• physical disability
• independence
• autonomy
• long-term care

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Rikie Deurenberg for her assistence with the search strategy and Hendrik Buimer for his feedback during the writing of this paper.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This study was part of the program Innovation-impulse Disability Care, which was funded by the department of Wellbeing, Health, and Sport of the Dutch government.