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Influence of assistive technology on the functional performance and quality of life of community-dwelling frail elderly people: a bibliographic review

Abstract

Assistive technology devices have been used to improve functional capability, autonomy, and quality of life of community-dwelling frail elderly people. In order to evaluate it, a bibliographic review was conducted through articles in databank, book chapters, other articles and by their authors who directly sent them by mail or e-mail. It was observed a decrease of those elderly people's dependence while taking care of themselves, improvement of their socialization, betterment of caregivers' safety and peacefulness regarding the performance of functional activities by elderly people, and a lowering of constant frail aging people's hospitalizations and concomitant health-related costs. The conclusion was that assistive technology devices are quite valuable to community-dwelling frail elderly people, improving their functional capacity, autonomy, and quality of life.

Key words:
Self-help devices; Frail Elderly; Personal Autonomy; Quality of life; Home Nursing; Review

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