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Access to Assistive Technology in Canada: a Jurisdictional Scan of Programs

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Access to Assistive Technology in Canada: a Jurisdictional Scan of Programs Aging Gracefully across Environments using Technology to Support Wellness, Engagement and Long Life Workpackage 8 – ETHICS-TECH Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology – Understanding and Advancing Canadian Policies for Technology Access Access to Assistive Technology in Canada: A Jurisdictional Scan of Programs June 30, 2017 (FINAL) CONTENTS PREFACE ________________________________________________________________________ 3 CONTRIBUTORS _________________________________________________________________ 5 Primary Authors _______________________________________________________________________ 5 Contributing Authors ___________________________________________________________________ 5 Contributors ___________________________________________________________________________ 5 Acknowledgements ______________________________________________________________________ 5 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ________________________________________________________ 6 2. INTRODUCTION _______________________________________________________________ 7 Purpose _______________________________________________________________________________ 7 Background ____________________________________________________________________________ 7 Disability in Canada ____________________________________________________________________________ 7 Assistive Technology ____________________________________________________________________________ 8 Unmet Needs for Assistive Technology ______________________________________________________________ 8 3. METHODS ____________________________________________________________________ 9 Overview ______________________________________________________________________________ 9 Research Question ______________________________________________________________________ 9 Scope of Jurisdictional Scan _____________________________________________________________ 10 Key Questions _________________________________________________________________________ 10 Data Searches and Charting _____________________________________________________________ 11 Summary of Findings and Analysis _______________________________________________________ 11 4. RESULTS ____________________________________________________________________ 14 Appendices – Data Tables by Jurisdiction __________________________________________________ 14 Planned Data Analyses and Analyses in Progress ____________________________________________ 14 5. DISCUSSION _________________________________________________________________ 14 Overview of Some Preliminary Findings ___________________________________________________ 14 Strengths and Limitations _______________________________________________________________ 16 6. SIGNIFICANCE AND CONCLUSIONS ___________________________________________ 16 7. REFERENCES ________________________________________________________________ 17 8. APPENDICES _________________________________________________________________ 18 AGE-WELL Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology – Understanding and advancing Canadian policies for technology access – 2017 June 2 PREFACE AGE-WELL NCE (Aging Gracefully across Environments using Technology to Support Wellness, Engagement and Long Life Network of Centres of Excellence, Incorporated) is a Canadian government-funded network that launched in 2015. AGE-WELL NCE focuses on technologies and services that can benefit older adults and caregivers by promoting independence and contributing to health and quality of life. Research within AGE-WELL NCE encompasses eight Workpackages and four Crosscutting Activities. This jurisdictional scan report is part of Workpackage 8 ETHICS-TECH, specifically Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology (ADT) - Understanding and Advancing Canadian Policies for Technology Access. The project is a collaboration between AGE-WELL NCE investigators and the network partner March of Dimes Canada. The focus of the project is to examine ethical concerns (e.g. equity of distribution) in the availability of technology and services for Canadians. The project also addresses the need for equitable access to assistive technology in Canada in order to respect human rights and meet individuals’ needs, including those of persons aging without disability, acquiring disability as they age, or aging with disability. To examine access, the project includes a survey or scan of current assistive-technology programs offered by governments as well as charity organizations across Canada. The scan covers 14 federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions. As a snapshot of current programs across Canada, the scan presents an overview of: programs providing assistive devices; devices and services that are provided; funding or services that are offered; eligibility criteria; service providers; processes for acquiring devices or services; and restrictions about what devices or services are provided. Though the report is intended to be as comprehensive as possible at the time of its completion, the scan results tables need to be viewed as living documents requiring updates as programs change and additional information or omissions are identified. The information included is not intended to substitute up-to-date information posted on the programs’ websites or program-specific advice directly provided by the relevant organizations. While potentially useful, no plans have yet been made to develop a searchable database using the contents of this report or to establish mechanisms to ensure that such a database is maintained. This report is likely to be valuable to a number of stakeholders, including government policymakers; non-profit or charitable organizations; academic researchers; assistive technology manufacturers, distributors or vendors; healthcare planners and providers; advocacy groups; and consumers. Analysis of the scan findings will inform more in-depth exploration of approaches to bridge gaps, and contribute to efforts to address access issues with changes in government policy, program and service planning, as well as systematic coordination across sectors. The scan findings can also guide research agendas to evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of assistive devices that are commercially available, but are not funded through existing programs. Research and development of innovative solutions for devices or services to address unmet needs can also be stimulated. Finally, a consolidated list of existing programs across Canada (as is found in this report) can assist healthcare providers and consumers to better AGE-WELL Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology – Understanding and advancing Canadian policies for technology access – 2017 June 3 navigate complex assistive technology funding systems and services, and may ultimately inspire greater advocacy efforts. However, to be most useful, the information contained in this report will need to be continually updated and made available in a way that is easily accessible by healthcare providers and consumers. We hope that you will find this report useful and we welcome any feedback and comments to further the discussion on assistive technology access in Canada. Rosalie Wang, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.) Michael Wilson, PhD University of Toronto McMaster Health Forum [email protected] [email protected] WP 8.2 Project Co-Leads Contents may only be reproduced with written permission from AGE-WELL. AGE-WELL Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology – Understanding and advancing Canadian policies for technology access – 2017 June 4 CONTRIBUTORS Primary Authors Daphne Schreiber, MSc, March of Dimes Canada Rosalie H. Wang, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.), University of Toronto Contributing Authors Evelyne Durocher, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.), University of Toronto Michael G. Wilson, PhD, McMaster University Contributors Hajer Chalghoumi, PhD, University of Ottawa Amélie Gauthier-Beaupré, MSc (c), University of Ottawa Madalina Oancea, MSc. (OT) (c), University of Toronto Funding The project was funded by AGE-WELL NCE with in-kind contributions from March of Dimes Canada. Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank the following AGE-WELL NCE members for their assistance in reviewing the report and providing their invaluable feedback: Jerome Bickenbach, Andria Spindel, Paul Stolee, Don Juzwishin, and Thomas Hadjistavropoulos. The authors gratefully acknowledge Claudine Auger, Virginie Cobigo, Maxine Perrin, and Crislee Dignard for their assistance. The following content experts are also acknowledged for their assistance in reviewing programs within their jurisdictions: Emma Smith, Ben Mortenson, Cherry Nixdorf, Ed Giesbrecht, Kim Adams, Jennifer Fahey, Joanne Hanlon, Cher Smith, Pearl Gryfe, Karen Hall, Andrew Campbell, Stephen Chan, Claudine Auger, Michelle Plante, Dominique Gelinas Bronsard, and Pam Becker. AGE-WELL Project 8.2: Aging, Disability and Technology – Understanding and advancing Canadian policies for technology access – 2017 June 5 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Assistive technology can contribute to enabling individuals living with a disability to engage or participate in valued activities (e.g. personal daily activities, communication, mobility, employment). However, in Canada, unmet needs for assistive devices persist and multiple barriers have been reported by individuals in accessing needed assistive devices. To examine patterns and gaps in assistive technology programs and ultimately to identify approaches to support more equitable access, we conducted a detailed cross-Canada jurisdictional scan of current assistive technology programs that are offered by government
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