Assistive Devices : National MS Society

"Give me a lever long enough and I shall move the earth" 

- Archimedes

An assistive device is a tool or implement that makes a particular function easier or possible to perform. An assistive device may be as simple as an electric toothbrush, or as elaborate as an environmental control system that can be operated with a mouth switch by persons who have lost the use of their limbs.

Assistive devices can help persons with disabilities perform many activities of daily living.

• Bathing and Showering
  Tub and wall grab bars can help persons with MS get in and out of the bathtub and keep their balance while showering.
• Grooming and Dressing
  Button and zipper hooks can be used to fasten clothes. Velcro on clothes and shoes or elastic shoelaces can make it easier to get dressed. Combs, brushes, and toothbrushes can be fitted with easier-to-hold handles.
• Cooking and Housekeeping
  Devices such as electric can openers, rocker knives that minimize wrist motion and strength needed to cut, and cookware designed for those with limited hand, wrist, and forearm strength can make cooking manageable. The heavy lifting and bending often involved in housekeeping can be minimized by putting cleaning supplies and equipment on wheels and by using long handled dusters, brooms, and sponges. Reachers can help grasp objects on shelves or in closets.
• Writing and Reading
  Special grips have been designed to enable a person to securely, yet comfortably, grip a pen or a drawing implement. Special lenses and magnifying devices may correct some visual problems associated with MS.
• Mobility
  Braces, canes, or walkers can help those who have trouble walking. Wheelchairs and electric scooters can provide mobility for those who need additional assistance. Transfer boards and lifts can be used to help people with MS get in and out of a bed, tub, automobile, or wheelchair.
• Driving
  After assessment by an occupational therapist, driving may be safely accomplished with the help of hand controls, low-energy steering wheels, and other aids.

Assistive devices are usually prescribed by a physiatrist, or by an occupational, physical, or speech/language pathologist, following referral by a physician. There are many catalogues and surgical supply stores that are excellent sources for assistive devices.

• ABLEDATA
  National database of assistive services for people with disabilities.

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Gaining a New Perspective on Mobility Aids

The use of any type of mobility device is often viewed as the hallmark of disability, the ultimate sign of defeat. Viewed from a different perspective, however, canes, walkers, motorized scooters, and wheelchairs help people live active lives. They promote independence, conserve energy, and generally make life easier.




 SOURCE: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/mobility-and-accessibility/assistive-devices/index.aspx

Assistive Devices : National MS Society