Designing games for the rehabilitation of functional vision for children with cerebral visual impairment

Evidence has accumulated that visual rehabilitation for patients with neurological visual impairment can be effective. Unfortunately, the existing therapy tools are repetitive, uninteresting, and unsuitable for use with children. This project aims to improve the engaging qualities of visual rehabilitation for children, through the design of therapy tools based on game design principles. Development is ongoing in a participatory, user-centred manner in conjunction with a specialist centre for childhood visual impairment. This paper outlines design requirements and briefly reports early findings of the development process

Rehabilitation model to promote interprofessional practice at primary health care level in the Western Cape of South Africa

Rehabilitation services at primary health care level in South Africa are considered as essential services for the disabled community. Currently there are challenges with implementation of rehabilitation services at community level in South Africa. Hence it is important to explore and identify gaps in rehabilitation services at primary level of care. This was a descriptive, explorative design using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Patients and service providers were purposively selected from selected community health centres. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data were analysed and presented as themes. The majority of patients (n=365) interacted with only one rehabilitation professional and missed out on interdisciplinary team members. Twelve percent (12%) of the service providers did not ask permission to consult their patients. Patients were dissatisfied with rehabilitation service delivery. Patients were not happy with rehabilitation services and rehabilitation service providers did not focus on a patient-centred approach. The resultant recommended development of a rehabilitation model was based on the health care plan 2030 document that advocates for inclusion of strategies for clear access to rehabilitation services and rehabilitation interventions. Rehabilitation services will change from a therapist to a patient-centred approach and services will be viewed differently.DHE

The challenges and coping strategies of communication partners of older adults with disabling hearing loss using assistive hearing technology. a South African study

The effects of disabling hearing loss can create communication barriers that do not only affect the person with hearing loss (PHL), but also the communication partner's (CP) quality of life. Literature has previously been centred around the individual with hearing loss, thus leaving an information gap in South Africa that focuses on providing family centred care that includes the CP in the audiological rehabilitation process. It is important for hearing health professionals to consider the CP's wellbeing when managing older adults with hearing loss, as they have been found to play a significant role in the audiological rehabilitation process. Therefore, exploring the Goal Sharing for Partners Strategy (GPS) tool in a South African context will contribute to the knowledge in the field of audiological rehabilitation. Furthermore, gaining insight into the challenges and coping strategies that CPs experience will improve on the approach to the service provided in audiological rehabilitation. A qualitative research design was employed with a sample of 10 couples who completed the GPS tool and semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results revealed four overarching themes that presented the effects of disabling hearing loss on the CP. The impact of disabling hearing loss resulted in daily life communication challenges for the CP. These challenges affected CPs emotionally as well as transformed the way they communicated in their relationships, however the values, beliefs and personality of the CPs allowed them to cope and develop resilience to the burden of third-party disability. Additionally, the usability questionnaire demonstrated that the GPS tool was an appropriate tool to use in South Africa when adopting a family centred approach to audiological rehabilitation and was most beneficial when implemented as an interview guide administered by an audiologist. The information from this study can be used to provide support to other CPs as well as enhance the success of audiological rehabilitation for PHLs through a family centred approach

Fine-tuning a context-aware system application by using user-centred design methods

Context-Aware Systems in the home environment can provide an effective solution for supporting wellbeing and autonomy for the elderly. The definition and implementation of the system architecture for a particular assisted living healthcare application entail both technological and usability challenges. If issues regarding users’ concerns and desires are taken into account in the early stages of the system development users can benefit substantially more from this technology. In this paper, we describe our initial experiences with different user-centred design methods, as they are applied in the process of fine-tuning a context-aware system architecture to improve quality of life for elderly THR patients (Total Hip Replacement). The insights resulting from this approach result in a clearer functional specification towards a better fit with the user needs regarding information need of the patient as well as the physiotherapist. Important system requirements as timing and content of the feedback are much more fruitful in an earlier phase of the development process. User-centred design methods help to better understand the needed functional features of a context-aware system, thereby saving time and helping developers to improve adoption of the system by the users

Determining the needs, priorities, and desired rehabilitation outcomes of young adults who have had a stroke

Background. Guidelines state that young adults' (aged 18–55 years) rehabilitation needs and priorities following stroke are different from older adults'. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding young adults' perspectives of their needs and priorities. Aim. To gain an understanding of young adults' experience of stroke and associated rehabilitation needs, priorities, and desired outcomes. Methods. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on the phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty. Longitudinal data were gathered using unstructured interviews and analysed using phenomenological reduction. Results. Ten young adults took part in up to four interviews over two years. An overarching theme, Embodied Disorientation, and three subthemes: Mortal Body, Situated Body, and Embodied Perception of Difference, described the young adults' experience. A subsequent iterative process enabled tabulation of patient-centred rehabilitation needs, priorities, and outcomes. Conclusion. Rehabilitation professionals can use the evidence-based outcomes table to work with young adults to develop meaningful patient-centred goals and select appropriate interventions which align with identified needs and outcomes throughout the stroke recovery trajectory

A blended user centred design study for wearable haptic gait rehabilitation following hemiparetic stroke

Restoring mobility and rehabilitation of gait are high priorities for post-stroke rehabilitation. Cueing using metronomic rhythmic sensory stimulation has been shown to improve gait, but most versions of this approach have used auditory and visual cues. In contrast, we developed a prototype wearable system for rhythmic cueing based on haptics, which was shown to be highly effective in an early pilot study. In this paper we describe a follow-up study with four stroke survivors to inform design, and to identify issues and requirements for such devices to be used in home-based or out-door settings. To this end, we present a blended user-centred design study of a wearable haptic gait rehabilitation system. This study draws on the combined views of physiotherapists, nurses, interaction designers and stroke survivors. Many of the findings were unanticipated, identifying issues outside the scope of initial designs, with important implications for future design and appropriate use

An ideal model of an assistive technology assessment and delivery process

The purpose of the present work is to present some aspects of the Assistive Technology Assessment (ATA) process model compatible with the Position Paper 2012 by AAATE/EASTIN. Three aspects of the ATA process will be discussed in light of three topics of the Position Paper 2012: (i) The dimensions and the measures of the User eXperience (UX) evaluation modelled in the ATA process as a way to verify the efficient and the evidence-based practices of an AT service delivery centre; (ii) The relevance of the presence of the psychologist in the multidisciplinary team of an AT service delivery centre as necessary for a complete person-centred assistive solution empowering users to make their own choices; (iii) The new profession of the psychotechnologist, who explores users needs by seeking a proper assistive solution, leading the multidisciplinary team to observe critical issues and problems. Through the foundation of the Position Paper 2012, the 1995 HEART study, the Matching Person and Technology model, the ICF framework, and the pillars of the ATA process, this paper sets forth a concept and approach that emphasise the personal factors of the individual consumer and UX as key to positively impacting a successful outcome and AT solution

Self-Cultivation and Meaning through the Experience of Injury Rehabilitation: A Case Study of Two Female Basketball Players

This case study involved interviewing athletes who had sustained moderate to severe injuries about the experience of being injured and the potential for self-cultivation and meaning synthesized through recovering from an injury. Two female intercollegiate basketball players were interviewed at the beginning of their rehabilitation and again at the end after successfully recovering and returning to sport. Data analysis revealed unique characteristics about the rehabilitation process with respect to loss of control, social support and learning about their confidence, motivation, perseverance, attitude, and resiliency. This article examines the experiences of these athletes as they navigated through the rehabilitation process and highlights the potential for the creation of a positive learning experience and self-cultivation that injured athletes can discover through the experience of recovering from an injury