Assistive Devices for Daily Living Activities

Daily living activities are common, necessary tasks that people complete every day, such as eating, drinking, bathing, dressing, and toileting. When disabled children, adults and elderly people cannot complete some of these activities by themselves, they need devices to assist them.

Assistive Technology

• Assistive technology involves the development of products or devices that assist people with daily living activities. These products are designed and tailored to assist with a specific activity, such as walking, bathing or hearing.

Product Types

• Many assistive devices help people who have lack of mobility. For example, people who cannot walk by themselves use canes and walkers. Some electronic devices are used by people who have hearing or vision impairments. Ergonomic devices allow disabled individuals to complete tasks at school or at the workplace. There are products for bathing, such as bath seats and shower chairs.

Financial Resources

• Assistive devices can be paid for privately, by health insurance, or by public benefits programs. You can obtain lists of available resources for purchasing assistive technology from state, federal, and nonprofit website databases.