Affordable assistive devices to enhance daily life for older Aussies

It can be as simple as buttoning a shirt when arthritis means your fingers don't work quite as well as they used to, getting up from an armchair when you have back issues or walking, shopping, showering or going to the bathroom when your energy levels and balance aren't the best anymore.

This is when assistive technology can mean the difference between staying in comfort and safety at home or having to make the move to more supported living.

But what is assistive technology? It may sound high-tech but you are probably using assistive technology every day - reading glasses, a walking stick, hearing aids, a long-handled dustpan and brush - are all examples of assistive technology, which is described as equipment that makes life easier and safer.

And not all assistive technology means expensive alterations to the home which can often be unaffordable and also difficult for people who rent.

Assistive technology can be as simple as a button and zipper pull which makes dressing easier, page-turners for books, jar openers, modified eating utensils, walking frames, easy-turn door handles and taps, a shower chair or stool, safety rails around the toilet and in the shower recess and a ramp to help you enter the house without having to manage steps or stairs.

However, hi-tech is taking more and more of a role in helping older people stay at home with new gadgets coming on the market every year.

Today you can get modified keyboards for your computer, a GPS tracker to ensure someone with dementia doesn't get lost, electronic pills dispensers, pendant or wrist personal alarms and fall sensors.

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There are amplified or large button phones, devices to help people living with dementia remember to do things such as take medication or eat lunch, stove alarms that turn off the gas or electricity after a certain time and family-connected security systems.

For those who can't walk any distance, there are manual or electric wheelchairs and for those who can no longer drive, there are mobility scooters. Powered adjustable beds and uplift seats can also make life easier and safer in the home.

Allied health practitioners such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists can advise on assistive technology.

The Department of Health and Aged Care is considering how best to deliver assistive technologies for some older people as part of the future Support at Home Program.