Assessment of commercial smart home technology for use as assistive technology (August 31, 2021)

Occupational therapists are often heavily involved in decisions regarding clients' ability to safely return to, or reside at home. As technology continues to grow more ubiquitous throughout society, commercial technologies and home automation considerations will likely become increasingly considered when deciding if a home environment is safe and conducive to either supported or autonomous living. Therefore, it is crucial for present day therapists to prepare for technology-centered discussions, recommendations, and relevant referrals across practice settings. 

This webinar will provide practitioners with in-depth understanding of when and how such recommendations should be made. This webinar will identify different activities of daily living (ADLs) in which commercial smart home devices can be useful for people to be more independent. Various factors that will help occupational therapists identify if the end users will or will not be candidates for this technology will be reviewed. Various factors will be discussed that will help occupational therapists identify if the devices being considered are, or are not, the right devices for the end users.

After taking part in this webinar, participants will be able to: 

1. Identify activities in which commercial smart home devices can be useful.
2. Be able to identify potential smart home candidates.
3. Be able to assess devices to see if they will, or will not, be ‘best fit’ for the end-users.

Level 
Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)