Good Practice: SIVA Network - Don Gnocchi
1. What is the name of this service/practice/project or what name would you give it?
Fondazione Don Gnocchi SIVA network is a reliable and accessible consultancy, research and intervention network on Assistive Technologies for the autonomy of persons with disability: - SIVA is a Web Portal (https://portale.siva.it) on assistive technology, - an email helpline for general information on assistive technologies (portale@siva.it); - SIVA is a network of specialised centres (SIVA centres) which can take advantage of the technical and methodological support of SIVALabAssistive. SIVA stands for Technology Information and Assessment Services
2. To which dimension of QoL does the practice contribute?
UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities (2006) recognizes the importance of assistive technologies as support, for example, for the right to full and effectively participate in society.
WHO World Health Assembly Resolution WHA71.8. 2018 “Improving access to assistive technology” states “….assistive technology enables and promotes the inclusion, participation and engagement of persons with disabilities, ageing populations and people with co-morbidities in the family, community and all areas of society, including the political, economic and social spheres…”.
As Assistive Technology promote user’s autonomy, can influence all dimensions of quality of life: self- determination (autonomy=ability to plan one's life), rights, emotional wellbeing, social inclusion (autonomy->participation and inclusion in society), personal development, interpersonal relationships (autonomy=ability to enter into relationship with others), material well-being and physical well-being.
3. Would you considering the example as ‘an innovative way of working’? If so, why?
SIVA network professionals are highly experienced, share common assessment methodology and instruments, an informatics system for tracking AT interventions and a methodology to measure AT interventions outcome are available.
4. In what way does the practice lead to ‘inclusion of service users with a profound disability’? Please explain how you have understood and defined ‘inclusion’ in this context.
SIVA AT assessing activity in favor of persons with profound disability leads to the acquisition of assistive solutions which should enhance their participation and inclusion in society. As stated in UN convention for the rights of persons with disability inclusion comprehend inclusion in society, in community and in all aspects of life.
5. What would be, in your opinion, the opportunities and challenges to transfer the practice to the partner organizations?
Disseminating SIVA methodology and instruments among partner organizations would be an important sharing and exchange of good practice action. If partner organizations should adopt totally or partially methodology and instruments we could share a standardized process and measures and could put together a big amount of data to be analyzed and disseminated.
6. Have you evidence (proof) that the practice increased the satisfaction of the service users? If so, please show how satisfaction is measured and the increased satisfaction score.
AT interventions outcome measures used by SIVA includes 2 questionnaires (QUEST and KWATZO) measuring AT users satisfaction about AT service delivery, and, for in particular some questions concern the satisfaction of follow-up performed by AT professionals. KWAZO (Dijks et al, 2006) stands for "Kwaliteit van Zorg" i.e. "Quality in care", and QUEST (Demers et al, 2002) for “Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with AT”
7. Have you evidence (proof) that the practice increased the satisfaction of the Family members? If so, please show how satisfaction is measured and the increased satisfaction score.
QUEST and KWATSO questionnaires can be administered to AT user’s caregivers too.
8. Have you evidence (proof) about tangible results of improving Quality of Life of persons with a profound disability? If so, please show how this is determined?
AT internationally validated outcome measurement tools used by SIVA services measure AT perceived effectiveness and user satisfaction. Considered that AT can enhance users quality of life, AT outcome measure indirectly can give a measure of users’ quality of life.
9. Have you evidence (proof) about tangible results of meeting expectations of service users with a profound disability? If so, please show how this is determined?
AT interventions outcome measures used by SIVA includes KWAZO questionnaire (Dijks et al, 2006) which assesses user’s satisfaction with the whole AT service delivery process.