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Assistive technology for communication of older adults: a systematic review |
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| Authors: | Thaiany Pedrozo Campos Antunes Acary Souza Bulle de Oliveira Robert Hudec Tania Brusque Crocetta Jennifer Yohanna Ferreira de Lima Antão Renata Thais de Almeida Barbosa |
| Institution: | 1. Laboratório de Delineamento de Estudos e Escrita Científica da Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. Santo André, Sao Paulo, Brazil;2. Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Multimedia and Information-Communication Technology, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakiathaiany@ualberta.ca ;3. Neurologia Clínica. Setor de Doen?as Neuromusculares, Universidade Federal De S?o Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil;4. Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Multimedia and Information-Communication Technology, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakia;5. Faculty of Management Science and Informatics, Department of Mathematical Methods and Operations Research, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakia |
| Abstract: | Objective: Describe the use of assistive technology to enhance communication opportunities for older adults. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, by using two different searches in each. The search was limited to original articles, in English language, including people aged 60 years and older that used any type of assistive technology for communication. The articles found in the initial search were filtered by title, abstracts and the remaining articles were fully read. Results: Eighteen studies were included in this review after the reading of full-texts. Most of the studies included apparently healthy participants with communication limitations due to aging related changes and the others included people with some pathology that prevent them from normal communication. Conclusion: Four categories of assistive technology were identified: assistive technology for people with speech problems; robot or videoconferencing systems; Information and Communication Technologies and, other types of assistive technology for communication, such as hearing aids and scrapbooks. Assistive technology for communication of older adults is not only used by people with disabilities that prevent them from usual communication. They are mostly for older adults without a pathological communication problem. |
| Keywords: | Self-help device alternative and augmentative communication social isolation loneliness |