F.a.q

1)Why should I choose an ergonomist-occupational therapist?
The ergonomist:

Chooses the suitable technological means that lead the person with disability to autonomy and independence

The occupational therapist:

Is knowledgeable of disability (disability sectors) and the first who trains the disabled in activities of daily living (ADL), the person who leads them closer to autonomy.

The combination of the two specialties helps people with special needs to become independent and to assume their roles in their life.

2) Who should use the website: ‘ergonomicsfordisabled.gr’?
People who want to gain creative contemporary solutions of ergonomics and accessibility. More specific, people:

> with motor disability
> sensory impaired (hearing impairment and sight)
> mentally retarded
> senior citizens
> assistants, caregivers, parents of handicapped children

Also, this website applies to:

> companies selling prosthetics – companies selling accessible cars
> businesses desiring specially ergonomically designed offices for their staff
> home owners – shop owners
> construction companies – architecture/civil engineering

3) Why is a specially reachable house essential?
Through home independence – autonomy, which should concern every disabled person, work independence will also be facilitated. A disabling condition hampers daily activities: the affected individual hesitates to undertake and complete an indoor work task due to their difficulty of commuting and/or time consuming self preparation in the morning, for example. This individual is therefore chained and feels a hostage in their own home, does not resume responsibility, is being put aside vocationally and socially and depends on the help of others.

4) ‘Ergonomics’: what does it mean?
Ergonomics or Human Factors (HF), is derived from the Greek words ‘έργον’ which means work and ‘νόμος’ which means law, legislation. So, HF is the scientific principle which investigates the work of an individual in order to modify it and suggest ways to enhance productivity and minimize fatigue and accidents providing greater comfort, safety, and efficiency. Today this term has bees generalized and it is used to analyze every human activity, primarily focusing on the people with disability in their home or professional environment. The intervention of the ergonomist – occupational therapist is necessary and the purpose is to improve everyday life, everyday activities, transportation, freetime, work, etc.

5)‘Accessibility’: meaning and implementation
This includes all measure systems taken into account in conjunction with legislation, adjusting mainly a handicapped person’s home environment and then his workplace, making valuable suggestions within the community. This minimizes a third-party dependence (assistance-home help) and empowers the affected individual to play the leading role of his own private or social life with safety, comfort and less consumption of energy. Thus, the utilization of different rooms in home becomes operational (bathroom, kitchen, etc) and the person with disability achieves self reliance in the work environment and autonomy when moving about, outside the home.

6) When and how does a house become reachable?
Stages: >estimation of ability and/or incompetence of the person >cooperation with his/her family and the medical support (the doctor, the occupational therapist, the physical therapist, the social worker, the caretakers, the medical assistants, ...) >cooperation with building technicians and technical-technological aid salesmen

This process is done when the person in need is away for the weekend or if he/she has left a rehabilitation center and returning home.

7) What does ‘assistive-adaptive technology’ or ‘new technology’ mean?
This term is also known as ‘adaptive technology to compensate for disability/deficiency’ and refers to all advanced means of technology used by handicapped people to serve their needs in the fields of health, safety, transportation, communication, spare time and family and social obligation. They meet these people’s requirements wherever utilized (houses, offices, etc).

8) What is adaptive technology divided into and which needs does it fulfil?
a) Information Science (computer science) : The use of an adaptive computer depending on the person’s needs to amplify their vocational or school integration, communication or information, or even entertainment, separately or as a whole. 

b) Domotics or home automatism or intelligent housing: The implementation of computer science in home management using a local network. Its main principles are concerned with safety and supervision, communications and control or automatism of environment (Ferné, 2008).
c) Robotics: It refers to robotic arms attached to a wheelchair or mobile base having a specific function, mostly enabling daily activities This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Needs fulfilled:
-safety
-social roles
-family bonds
-daily activities
-cares
-compensation of disability