ABSTRACT
It is generally understood that assistive technology (AT) has the potential to enhance users’ functioning, and, in the process, allow them to be less dependent on the assistance of others. However, for the vast preponderance of ATs, this secondary assumption is not buttressed by systematic evidence (McWilliam et al. 2000; Henderson et al. 2008). To create an enhanced understanding of the impact of AT on caregivers, we need (1) better empirical evidence, (2) an improved conceptual understanding of the inter-relationship of outcomes between assistance users and caregivers, and (3) more developed and refined measurement tools. To address these needs this chapter has the following goals:
• To provide an overview of current literature that explores the impact of AT on informal caregivers of children and adults,
• To offer theoretical contributions that explicate the relationship between AT interventions and outcomes for assistance users and their informal caregivers and
CONTENTS
5.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................83 5.2 Overview of Current Literature .........................................................................................84
