“I Am Not That Sick”the Use of Assistive Mobility Technologies Among Theelderly - “I Am Not That Sick”the Use of Assistive Mobility Technologies Among Theelderly - Open Access Pub

The use of mobility assistive technologies in different contexts seem to give a great promise to potentially improve mobility, functionality, social interaction as well as performance of daily activities for the elderly. Unused wheelchairs and abandoned crutches however were a common scene in the homes of the elderly people during this study. This paper presents stories of three elderly people from a bigger study on aging and the use of assistive technologies, drawing attention to the need for proper understanding and appreciation of the context before assistive technologies are assigned especially in old age. DOI10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-17-1660 Central to the study of ageing is high possibilities of acquiring disabilities and (therefore) the use of assistive devices. This is because ageing has been pointed out as one of the leading causes of disabilities all over the world, and disabilities are more prevalent among the elderly than in other population categories1 In fact, more than 40% of older persons in Uganda were found to have a disability by the year 20062 indicating that disability increases with age; there are more chances of getting a disability as one grows older, and there are multiple disabilities at older age. The population of elderly people (60 years and above) in Uganda is estimated to be around 1.4 millions, making up 4.2% of the current total population of 34,856,813 people3 but evidence suggests that the elderly population is growing faster in African countries than other continents of the globe. And as such, it is estimated that by 2025 the fastest increase in the ratio of older people to younger people will be happening in developing countries, particularly Africa4. The more specific common documented causes of disabilities among the elderly are; chronic diseases, injuries, mental impairment, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases 5. As individuals age, their mobility is believed to reduce and for many, disabilities become part and parcel of the ageing process6. Mobility assistive technologies seems to give a great promise to potentially improve/re-establish their mobility, functionality, social interaction as well as performances of daily activities, for elderly people with disabilities 6, 7. Moreover, technologies are regarded as having preventive potential: They might reduce greater reliance of the elderly on family members, maintain their sense of themselves as full adult persons8, increase safety and reduce the likelihood of falling while walking 9. In summary, assistive technologies promise and promote what