Insightful webinar for those who provide information on assistive tech to vulnerable people

Continuing with its DLF for Professionals webinar series, the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) has announced a new webinar about assistive technology and its role in maximising independence for elderly and disabled people.

The insightful session – ‘Reflections on person-centred advice about AT and its role in maximising independence’ – will feature speakers from Newcastle City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Newport City Council. They will share their experiences of using the DLF’s popular AskSARA self-assessment tool.

The webinar will take place from 10.00-11.15 on Wednesday 26th May 2021.

It is aimed at those responsible for providing information on assistive technology to older or disabled people, who will have the opportunity to gain insights from people in a similar role.

The DLF says the session will be beneficial for anyone already using AskSARA or considering using AskSARA for their visitors, residents, clients or the general public.

AskSARA is a free-to-use, impartial and guided advice tool that produces impartial advice, written by OTs, about suitable aids and adaptations for over ninety topics of daily living for older and disabled people. Vulnerable people, or their families or carers on their behalf, answer a series of questions to see what sort of assistive devices would best suit their needs.

With the option to tailor and embed the tool in a trusted domain, AskSARA links to over 10,000 products for daily living listed in the DLF’s Living Made Easy marketplace, many of which can be immediately purchased from online retailers and delivered to their door.

The DLF’s latest webinar will present new data about users extracted from running the AskSARA advice platform, including topics most visited by users.

At the end of the session, participants will be able to pose questions to the speakers and the DLF team in a Q&A panel session.

Speakers at the webinar

Dawn Pridham

Dawn Pridham is an OT and Team Manager at Newport City Council. She will present on Newport’s experience of integrating self-assessment into its service delivery.

The council’s work led directly to the first regional programme for AskSARA in Wales. AskSARA for Gwent was funded by the Public Service Board, covering the combined areas of Newport, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent, overall reaching a quarter of the population of the principality. This programme aimed to promote wellbeing through self-assessment online as part of a broader prevention programme.

Louise Lapworth

Louise Lapworth from Warwickshire County Council will share details of the multimedia campaign she ran to promote the use of AskSARA in Warwickshire. Using a variety of media, the campaign led to an outstanding set of usage figures, reaching older and disabled people in the county. Louise will share details of the project and data from analysing its effectiveness.

Kate Bowman

Your Equipment Newcastle is part of the Information Now programme in Newcastle-on-Tyne. Kate Bowman from the city council will share her experiences of running AskSARA as a frontline information and advice tool.

To find out more about the webinar, call the DLF on 0300 123 3084 or email enquiries@dlf.org.uk

Alternatively, interested attendees can register for free here