Publications
Independent LivingVolume 26 No 3
published in October 2010
Featured Articles
Manual Handling
- Reducing incidents through assistive technologyBy Jane Fothergill, ILCVic
The Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004) details the framework for legal requirements around manual handling. A Risk Assessment should be completed whenever appropriate. When clients are assessed as being able to participate in the transfer, they should be encouraged to do so.
Optimal outcomes are achieved by a combination of the use of appropriate assistive technology (AT), planning, timing and environmental modifi cation.
With the implementation of the ‘No Manual Lift’ policy the use of assistive technology (AT) has increased. Transfer by hoists should only be between one piece of AT and another eg bed to chair. Hoists and transfer aids should not be used as mobility aids.
Don't Wait For The Ouch
- Lifting and transfer equipment for childrenby Anna Everett, Sydney Children's Hospital
Ask any parent and they will tell you that parenting is hard on a person’s body. In this recognition, there has been a large increase in the range of products designed for making handling of babies easier.
It is increasingly recognized that new mothers often suffer back, neck and shoulder pain due to the lifting and manual handling involved in caring for their baby. This article describes a comprehensive approach.
Ceiling Hoists
- Part of a sustainable care strategyby Yong Moon Jung, Research Associate, Home Mod Information Clearing House, UNSW
With the implementation of the no-lifting policy, the use of mechanical devices has been recommended as an alternative to manual handling methods in health care practices.
Recently, increasing attention is being given to the ceiling hoist system as a safe and effective transfer method. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effectiveness of ceiling hoists and the advantages of them over other handling methods in lifting and transferring people with physical disabilities. Twenty-three articles were examined in this systematic review.
ILCA Assistive Technology Initiative
- Taking the message out to older Australiansby Catherine Sheenhan, Project Officer, ILCA AT initiative
The Independent Living Centres of Australia (ILCA), and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) have initiated a project to assist older Australians and their carers to access information about products and services which will help maintain their independence.
The current ILCA website is not an accessible and comprehensive source of assistive technology information for older Australians and their carers. It functions as a direction site for users to each state ILC website and the state product databases for assistive technology products and equipment.
