Aids and Assistive Devices

Aids and assistive devices are the supporting devices used by persons with disabilities in improving their quality of life in terms of mobility, communication and for performing their daily activities. There is a wide range of assistive devices available to meet the needs of person with disabilities. By use of these Aids & assistive devices, people with disabilities becomes independent and their participation in the society increases.

Following are some examples of aids & assistive devices given below:

• Aids for Daily Living: Which covers self help aids for use in activities such as eating, bathing, cooking, dressing, toileting, home maintenance, etc. These include modified eating utensils, adapted books, pencil holders, page turners, dressing aids, adapted personal hygiene aids.
• Mobility Aids: Devices that help people move within their environment, electric or manual wheelchairs, modifications of vehicles for travel, scooters, crutches, canes and walkers.
• Home/workplace modifications: structural adaptations that remove or reduce physical barriers such as ramps, lifts, modification in the bathroom to make it accessible, automatic door openers and expanded doorways etc.
• Seating and Positioning: Adapted seating, cushions, standing tables, positioning belts, braces and wedges to maintain posture, and devices that provide body support to help people perform a range of daily tasks.
• Alternative and augmentative communication devices (AAC): These devices help people with speech impairments or person having low vocal volume to communicate such as speech generating devices, voice amplification aids and communication software. For visually impaired person, devices as magnifier, Braille or speech output devices, large print screens, closed circuit television for magnifying documents, etc.
• Prosthetic and Orthotics: Replacement or augmentation of body parts with artificial limbs or other orthotics aids such as splints or braces. There are also prosthetic to assist with cognitive limitations or deficits, including audio tapes or pagers (that function as s or reminders).
• Vehicle Modifications: Adaptive driving aids, hand controls, wheelchair and other lifts, modified vans, or other motor vehicles used for personal transportation.
• Sensory aids for vision/hearing impaired: such as magnifiers, large print screens, hearing aids, visualing systems, Braille and speech/telecommunication output devices;
• Computer Access Aids: Headsticks, light pointers, modified or alternate keyboards, switches activated by pressure, sound or voice, touch screens, special software, voice to text software that enable persons with disabilities to use a computer. This category includes speech recognition software.
• Recreational aids to enable participation in social/cultural events and sports: Devices to enable participation in sports, social, cultural events which includes audio design for movies, adaptive controls for video games etc
• Environmental Controls: Electronic systems that help people control various appliances, switches for telephone, TV, or other appliances which are activated by pressure, eyebrows or breath

The National Trust has already established a National Resource Centre for display of available assistive devices called ‘Sambhav’ at AADI (a registered organisation of the National Trust), New Delhi to demonstrate the possibility of independent or assisted living for persons with developmental disabilities through the use of aids & assistive devices and technologies.

Please click here to view the detailed list of the aids & assistive devices along with cost as provided by AADI (Action for Ability Development and Inclusion).

The Sambhav Center in Delhi :

Action for Ability Development and Inclusion

2, Balbir Saxena Marg, Hauz Khas, South Delhi, New Delhi

(Near Hauz  Khas  metro station)

Tel. 011-26864736

Contact person: Ms. Manuja Mishra/ Mr.Vinay Vij

Mobile:9968304227, Fax. 26853002

Email. aadi[underscore]jagruti[at]yahoo[dot]com

Sambhav is a new scheme aims to provide information on the aids and assistive devices available for the PwDs under the National Trust Act.

These centres shall also showcase a sample bed-room, kitchen, bathroom, toilet etc which are disabled friendly and accessible to PwD. The uses of various assistive devices which include learning kits, aids related to mobility, communication and are useful to improve the quality of life of PwD, shall be displayed in such Centres.

The new Sambhav Centres will be established in other cities of the country having population more than 5 million, as per 2011 census. A reference list of aids and assistive devices, including the cost shall be displayed in these centres.