Mobility aids for the elderly: Challenges and opportunities for the Brazilian market

Médola, Fausto Orsi; Bertolaccini, G. da Silva; Boiani, Josieli Aparecida Marques; Silva, S.R. Martins da

doi:10.4017/gt.2016.15.2.016.00

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…A research and innovation-based study described the involvement of the users' in the process of designing a new walker as assistive mobility device for children with cerebral palsy [17]. The challenges and opportunities of the mobility aids for the elderly have been discussed in the context of the Brazilian market [18].…”

Section: Product Design and Rehabilitation: Education Research And Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Rehabilitation and Product Design: Towards the Inclusion of People with Disabilities Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Médola

Sandnes

Rodrigues³

et al. 2018

Innovation, Engineering and Entrepreneurship

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In low-GDP countries, such as Brazil, many older people and people with disabilities rely on the public health system for access to assistive devices, which are important to support them to live healthy and dignified lives. However, many problems limit their access to specialized prescriptions and appropriate devices that satisfy their needs and expectations. This paper explores the challenges, contributions and results from an interdisciplinary collaboration between two different yet related areas of knowledge-Product Design and Rehabilitationin education, research and innovation in assistive technologies. The combination of product design education and rehabilitation services has mutual benefits from the perspective of research and innovation, thus contributing for the community. Here, we report on the process and benefits resulting from four years of interdisciplinary collaboration on assistive products for the aging population and people with disabilities.

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Section: Product Design and Rehabilitation: Education Research And Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Rehabilitation and Product Design: Towards the Inclusion of People with Disabilities Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Médola

Sandnes

Rodrigues³

et al. 2018

Innovation, Engineering and Entrepreneurship

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“…In Brazil, the most common model is the conventional folding Walker, in which the individual must raise the walker and take steps forward to move [10]. This device is made available by the public health system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the non-disabled perceptions of four common mobility devices in Norway: A comparative study based on semantic differentials

Boiani

Barili

Médola

et al. 2019

TAD

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BACKGROUND: Mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs are often associated with certain stigma. Such devices must be designed with the goal of reducing stigma to decrease the abandonmentrate. Yet there is little empirical evidence on how mobility devices are perceived. OBJECTIVE: This study set out to explore how (N = 40) non-disabled individuals perceived four common mobility devices including a traditional walker, rollator, manual wheelchair and a powered wheelchair. METHODS: A questionnaire based on semantic differential scales was designed. RESULTS: The results show that the more elaborate devices are perceived as more aesthetical and lighter, yet more unsafe and impractical. Moreover, respondents familiar with mobility devices through family and friends gave more biased negative responses in terms of device characteristics compared to nonexperienced respondents. Next, non-experienced respondents perceived the manual wheelchair to be more stigmatizing compared to experienced respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The findings evidence that different designs of products in the same category can evoke different perceptions of non-users regarding practical, aesthetical and symbolic aspects. Insight into how different design characteristics are associated with perceptions of non-users may contribute to the comprehension of assistive The final publication is available at IOS Press through

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“…One of the devices most commonly used to assist the mobility of the elderly is the walker. The conventional walker design in Brazil is a folding frame made of alumi-num with four points of contact with the floor that increase the contact area, thus improving forward stability [4]. Although the main goal of conventional walkers is to improve stability and walking independence, some users do not satisfactorily recover mobility function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Satisfaction of Aged Users with Mobility Assistive Devices: A Preliminary Study of Conventional Walkers

Boiani

Sandnes

Paschoarelli

et al. 2019

Human Systems Engineering and Design II

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Elderly users' satisfaction with their walkers was evaluated. A sample of 13 institutionalized aged participants were interviewed and responded to the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) questionnaire, with eight questions that address their level of satisfaction with different aspects of the device. In general, the users reported to be satisfied with their device, with the highest levels of satisfaction with durability and easiness of use. The lowest scores were associated with device weight, ease of adjusting and device stability and safety. The users' indicated the device safety, easiness of use and comfort as the most relevant aspects of the device. Elderly users' satisfaction with their mobility devices is likely to correlate with users' device needs and expectations.

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Mobility aids for the elderly: Challenges and opportunities for the Brazilian market

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Rehabilitation and Product Design: Towards the Inclusion of People with Disabilities Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Rehabilitation and Product Design: Towards the Inclusion of People with Disabilities Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

On the non-disabled perceptions of four common mobility devices in Norway: A comparative study based on semantic differentials

Satisfaction of Aged Users with Mobility Assistive Devices: A Preliminary Study of Conventional Walkers

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