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ALS Mobility & Digitalk
Lending service of aid goods for mobility and communication to patients with Amyotrofic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
ALS Mobility & Digitalk is a division of ALS Liga Belgium, a patient organisation for people with ALS, an incurable and lethal neuromuscular disease. The progressive illness is characterised by the selective dead of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of innervation to the muscles results in power loss and paralysis of the limbs. Also the respiratory, swallowing, chewing and speech muscles become affected. The intellectual capacity and senses are preserved, making the disease emotionally stressful and confronting for both the patient and the environment.Activities
ALS Mobility & Digitalk lends fast and free of charge technical and logistic aid goods to all Belgian patients with ALS.
The offer includes:
- Mobility: aid goods to support mobility
- walking aids
- manual wheel chairs
- electrical wheel chairs (steared by hand or chin)
- scooters
- tilting systems
- ...
- Digitalk: aid goods to support communication
- text-to-speech devices
- tablets with communication software
- laser pointer guided keyboard to drive a synthetic voice or computer
- eye movement guided keyboard to drive a synthetic voice or computer
- ...
Target groups
The service of ALS Mobility & Digitalk is open to all Belgian patients with ALS.
In Belgium, there are about 1.000 ALS-patients, of which more than 200 die each year and an equal amount of people is newly diagnosed. The average life expectation is only 3 to 5 years.
Projects
ALS Mobility & Digitalk is partner in the Flanders Care demonstration project 'Living Lab ALS Digitalk'.
In this project, assistive communication technology is offered to ALS-patients who encounter verbal and/or written communication problems. The optimal use of the communication devices is followed up and adjusted when needed. By this, the ALS-patient always uses the communication apparatus that fits best by the current stage of the disease. As a primary outcome, the impact of using assistive communication technology on the quality of life of the ALS-patients is measured, with emphasis on breaking social isolation and prevention of depression.
Area of interest
Contacts/acquaintance, Cooperation, International projects, Projects in Flanders
ALS Mobility & Digitalk is open to actors who develop innovative assistive technology for mobility or communication of patient with a progressive neuromuscular disease like ALS.Contact
ALS Mobility & Digitalk
Campus St-Rafaël, building H, 4th floor; Kapucijnenvoer 33/1
Leuven 3000