The potential user should be adequately assessed regarding his or her need for assistive technology. This helps to assure that the right match is made with the proper equipment. The look of assistive technology devices may contribute to a person s likelihood of rejecting them. Rather than making devices bulky, awkward, or cumbersome, a new approach to design should reflect more appealing and suitable mechanisms. Consideration should be given to the stigma that can be attributed to assistive devices and the generally negative stereotypical attitudes of society.
Assistive devices range considerably in price.
None of the major sources of health care funding for the elderly offer comprehensive coverage for assistive technology. The VA purchases hearing and visual aids, wheelchairs, van adaptive aids, patient lifts, hospital beds, and other medical equipment. It has a very comprehensive system which offers extensive staff, education and training personnel, and invests in research and development for assistive technology. Subsidy programs are another alternative for financing assistive technology. These programs may provide equipment at reduced cost or free of charge.