Computer Technology for Self-Management of Disability and Chronic Conditions

Date of Recording: April 2016

Technology is changing the way individuals with chronic illness and disability are functioning in the community. These individuals are now able to use hand-held technologies to self-manage their health. These technologies have the ability to help the individual remember to perform daily activities; communicate with care providers; find their way around the community; and live safer, more mobile, and more active lives. This webinar will present state-of-the-art information about computer technologies to help these individuals manage their daily lives. Categories of technology include hand-held devices, web-based support systems, smart environments, and smart prosthetics.

Learning Objectives: 

• Identify categories of computer-based assistive technology.
• Consider the relevance of computer-based assistive technologies for individuals with chronic illness and disability.
• Review the ethical issues associated with computer-based assistive technologies.

Presenter Biography: 

Dr. Cynthia S. Jacelon, Ph.D., RN-BC, CRRN, FGSA, FAAN: Certified in gerontological and rehabilitation nursing, Dr. Jacelon is a rehabilitation clinical nurse specialist and a professor at the College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a fellow of The Gerontological Society of America® and the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Jacelon’s area of research and expertise is dignity, function, self-management of chronic health problems, and independence in elders. In her research, she has explored the role of older adults in affecting the outcomes of their hospitalization, the processes used by community-dwelling older adults to manage chronic health problems, the meaning of dignity to older adults, and the role of smart environments and other technology in promoting independence in older adults. The Jacelon Attributed Dignity Scale (JADS) has been used around the globe. Currently, Dr. Jacelon is working on developing a tablet-computer application to support self-management in older adults. From 2004-2014, she was the scholar in residence at a long-term care facility where she led a project to reduce the risk of rehospitalization for frail residents.