Awareness lacking on benefits of assistive technology for people with learning difficulties

Assistive technology could improve the quality of life of people with learning difficulties, but “entrenched attitudes” are limiting its use, research out today has found.

The study by housing and support provider Advance UK finds a lack of awareness about its potential could be a barrier to more widespread use.

The technology, which provides people with ways to signal need to remote carers, could support people with a learning difficulty to live an independent life for the first time, it argues.

Technology could also relieve the burden on carers and allow care organisations to provide less labour-intensive services, the report, it adds.

But the study finds little use of assistive technology within the learning difficulty sector because of entrenched attitudes among staff, resource problems and ethical concerns.

Gadgets, Gizmos and Gaining Independence will be formally launched today by care services minister Ivan Lewis.