Page 6 - Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology

Foreword

Assistive technology is more important than ever. Growing numbers of people with care
and support needs challenge us to think of new ways to care for and offer support to them.
Technology can and will be an important part of these new ways, because it is necessary –
our present way of doing it is simply insufficient and not sustainable – but also because it
is possible. Never before in history has technology developed as fast as today and this will
generate new things that will prove to be of great value. Harnessing that potential for the
benefit of people who need care and support in such a way that it really helps and offers
meaningful support is the challenge. To do this, professionals in health and social care will
have to obtain knowledge about these new technologies and about the needs and require-
ments of their clients, so that they can support them in finding the optimal match between
technology and their clients.
This is why this handbook of electronic assistive technology (EAT) is timely and impor-
tant. It offers a guide to the complex and rapidly developing landscape of technologies that
have the potential to improve people’s lives. It will raise health and social care profession-
als’ awareness of the potential of technology and take away some of the fears many of them
have when it comes to applying these new technologies. I hope it will also help the people
who may benefit most from using these technologies to discuss the possibilities and to
negotiate optimal solutions that give them the opportunities to live the life they want.
Of course there are many complex issues to be solved when EAT becomes more usual:
questions about quality and safety, privacy, liability, financial issues, etc. But don’t let these
issues stand in the way of using the great potential that new technologies offer; as with all
new developments, they will be solved.
Luc de Witte
Professor of Health Services Research, Centre for Assistive Technology
and Connected Healthcare, University of Sheffield, UK
President of the Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe

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