Technology - it's triumphs and trials (a rural and remote therapists' perspective)
Janelle Stewart.
Taking technology to everyone, everywhere, every day is an extreme challenge at times for rural and remote therapists. This paper will discuss the issues faced by a rural and remote therapist in obtaining appropriate equipment for an indigenous child with very unique special needs within a remote gulf community in North West Queensland.
Providing a timely and culturally appropriate service to assist this young fellow with severe hydrocephalus and his carer and community has relied on a team approach including innovative trials of equipment. The barriers to obtaining appropriate equipment have been extensive, the tyranny of distance, the lack of suppliers, the costs of freighting, the time involved in coordinating trials, the environmental requirements and the lower socio-economic status of the community as a whole, all contribute to the challenges involved in equipment and technology usage. With a little innovation, lateral thinking, problem solving and stickability, this case study will show that the trials involved in taking equipment to everyone, everywhere, everyday make the triumphs all the sweeter.