Organiser: Aspace (Cerebral Palsy Association).
Collaborating organisation: Ramon Molinas Foundation.
Dates of implementation: 01/06/2014 – 31/12/2014.
The CRA, a centre which fosters personal autonomy among people with cerebral palsy thanks to the help of assistive technology
The Ramon Molinas Foundation has collaborated with Aspace (Cerebral Palsy Association) with the objective of expanding, updating and repairing the facilities of the Resources and Assistive Technology Centre (CRA), run by the organisation in Barcelona. The programme was created to foster personal autonomy, improve accessibility and facilitate social integration of people with cerebral palsy by utilising the benefits of assistive technology.
The Resources and Assistive Technology Centre is a demotic automation system adapted to its users with the objective of assessing the day-to-day necessities of people affected by cerebral palsy and related disabilities in a real-world environment. The centre teaches users how to carry out daily activities, demonstrating exercises to improve mobility, positioning and communication, and also organises sessions to train both families and health professionals who sign up. The objective of the CRA is to improve the quality of life of people who suffer from cerebral palsy, by means of rehabilitation and technical support to increase their autonomy both personally, and at home.
In addition, Aspace promotes the responsible use of assistive technology. It offers equipment on loan, as well as personalised advice on the technology best suited to the needs of each user. In order to achieve these goals, the organisation is made up of a multidisciplinary team including a rehabilitation physician, an engineer, a speech therapist, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist and a psychologist.
Cerebral palsy, a lifelong disorder
Cerebral palsy is a permanent psychomotor disorder which causes limitations in the activity of the person affected. It is an irreversible disorder, but not degenerative. Those affected will have it their whole lives, even though it will not deteriorate. For this reason, people with cerebral palsy often suffer from other problems that also require treatment. Although no cure exists for the disorder, it is possible to achieve a certain degree of development in the motor, cognitive, linguistic and social areas thanks to stimulation and learning techniques.
The damage which causes cerebral palsy can occur from the foetal stage up until four years of life. In Catalonia there are more than 14,000 people with the disorder. Between two and three in every 1,000 newborns are registered with this disease, meaning between 120 and 150 new cases are detected every year. In Spain, there are 84,000 people who suffer from cerebral palsy.
The Resources and Assistive Technology Centre helps 245 people
A total of 245 people benefit from the services of the Aspace Resources and Assistive Technology Centre. The organisation has 155 permanent users, 90 of whom are between 3 and 21 years old. The 70 remaining users come from other organisations. In addition, Aspace also advises staff from non-profit organisations, universities and professional training centres who want to receive training on cerebral palsy.
The users of the Resources and Assistive Technology Centre reside in seven areas within the province of Barcelona: Alt Penedès, Bages, Baix Llobregat, Barcelonès, Maresme, Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental.
Aspace, a benchmark association in the field of cerebral palsy
The Cerebral Palsy Association (Aspace) is a non-profit organisation founded in 1961. The institution was born thanks to the goodwill of a group of parents with children affected by cerebral palsy who had the determination to promote research, diagnosis, rehabilitation, education, advancement and support for people who suffer from this disorder or other developmental disorders.
Seven years after it was established, the institution was declared a non-profit association. Currently, with 54 years of history, Aspace has carried out nearly 14,000 comprehensive treatments for people with cerebral palsy and its therapeutic and social work has made it benchmark of Catalan society. Committed to sharing the knowledge acquired through its daily activity, Aspace supports people with cerebral palsy throughout their entire lives, from offering early stimulation or education, to occupational therapy at special work centres or loaning residential equipment.
The association’s Resources and Assistive Technologies Centre was built in 2004. The actions of the organisation are defined according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), from the World Health Organisation.
People with cerebral palsy, a group affected by digital divide
People with cerebral palsy or related disorders form part of a group at risk of exclusion from social technology. Often, this digital divide is inevitable because current technology is inadequate for their needs, is not adapted correctly, or information on its use is scant.
It is of vital importance that these obstacles can be overcome. The care network available for people who suffer from these disorders should act according to the direction of the professionals specialised in assistive technology. It is essential to exercise responsible, moderate, informed, thoughtful, free and conscious use, keeping in mind the criteria of cultural, environmental, socio-economic and linguistic sustainability.
The Aspace Resources and Assistive Technology Centre (CRA) improvement programme is completed with success
The collaborative programme between the Ramon Molinas Foundation and Aspace has been a great success. Together, the two organisations have improved the sensory space of the centre and acquired resources to improve the assistive technology service. In regards to the sensory space, a stimulation area has been added over the last year, which has been essential for some users’ development. After assessing the effectiveness of this new area, the Aspace professionals decided to extend it and add new elements to promote psychomotor stimulation in its users.
In addition to creating this new area, the partnership has permitted the Resources and Assistive Technology Centre to acquire an eye control system called Tobii. An eye tracker allows the user to interact with a computer through eye movements, utilising the speed, power and precision of the human eye. Lastly, Aspace has been able to acquire new lighting with LED technology to provide visual stimulation for users, has bought new games to extend the range of activities and has completed maintenance on the main areas of the centre.
These improvements have allowed the centre to increase the care and quality of its services to the 245 users.
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