Assistive technology means equipment or devices that help people with disability with their everyday life activities. It can be anything from manual and power wheelchairs, battery chargers, power assist technology for your manual wheelchair, and so on.
What are the benefits of assistive technology?
- Increase independence
Using suitable assistive equipment, people with disabilities can more efficiently participate in various activities, communicate with others, pursue education, and even start working. These assistive technologies will help us live independently and achieve our goals successfully.
- Reduce Risks for Accidents
Many of us are often at risk of accidents. So some of the technology dedicatedly focuses on increasing safety and reducing risk. For example, shower chairs can provide a safe way to move into the shower and support us safely during showering. A pressure-relieving mattress can increase comfort overnight and reduce the risk of pressure injuries.
- Benefit everyone
The assistive equipment and technology not only helps people with disability during daily activities but also benefits everyone who wants to improve productivity or comfort in daily life. For instance, a dedicatedly designed left-handed mouse is better suitable for left-handed people. Meanwhile, a voice assistant helps everyone communicate with smart home devices or personal equipment.
Assistive Technology & NDIS
The NDIS can cover assistive technology (AT) and equipment, which divides it into low-, mid- and high-cost levels. We need to provide evidence of AT required and AT assessments which help them understand our needs for AT.
We have created a factsheet to help you understand assistive technology and how to get suitable equipment with detailed information and resources. Please access the factsheet page if you are interested. Moreover, our NDIS Support Coordination team is always there to assist you in understanding and implementing your NDIS plan.