Assistive Technology for the people with disability 6 of 7

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Funding of Assistive Aids

I think there are three important factors to provide funding for Assistive Aids.
The first of them is Home Visiting Service.
The second one is Research & Development of assistive technology.
The last one is funding.
This funding means a subsidy lelated the assistive aids

The Question is
Who pays for the funding of the assistive aids?
In Japan, there are two kinds of subsidy for the Assistive Aids.
The first is...
Subsidy for Assistive Aids in Japan

This is the provision of prosthetics & Orthotics, wheelchairs and seating.
Next, is the provision of Assistive Aids for Daily living.

To give an some examples ...
For the people with visual disability, A thermometer with voice output, a calculator with voice output, an enlarged reading apparatus
For the people with hearing disability, a fax machine, and a signal apparatus, and so on.
For the people with physical disability, a word processor, a communication aid and so on.
Tthese are basic aids.
However we think these subsidies are not enough for actual daily living.

In Yokohama, we developed the original subsidies program for the past 10 years.
Since 1989, we started the Program for Clinical Engineering Service.
The aim of this program is a cheap and quick provision of special aids to the client with severe disability.
Program for Clinical Engineering Service

Generally speaking, in case of severe disability, we need a lot of trial & Error.
We need to try different methods, different materials, and so on.
As a result, the total cost will increase and can be expensive.
According to this program, the client will pay the Cost of the materials of the Device provided to the User.
Of course, this program will pay for the design cost.
In this way the client can get a special technical aid by paying a minimum charge.
And the engineers can buy the various materials and equipment by using the funds of this program.
The money of this program is approximately more 1.5 million-yen (about 400,000 Taiwan Dollars) per year.

Next, about House remodeling, before 1991, a limit of subsidy is 400,000 yen. (about 110,000 Taiwan Dollars)
From 1991, a subsidy program was changed for the better.
At first...

There is a subsidy limit of 1.5 million yen (about 400,000 Taiwan Dollars) per client.
But, new buildings or extensions of a house is not covered.

Next some assistive aids were added to the program.
The first of them is a lifter, mainly the ceiling type.
Powered lifter for stairs, helping patients to move up and down stairs.
Powered lifter to eliminate a difference in level
Environmental Control System
And, Special input and output device for the computer communication
This program pays not only for the cost of equipment but also the cost of installation.

Second Question is...
Who pays for the design (research and development) costs of assistive aids?

There are two kinds of National subsidy program.
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry supports one of them.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare supports another one
The target of these subsidies is mainly industrial companies.
Every year, there are more 100 applicants and more than ten companies were selected for each subsidy.

As a rule, an industrial company pays a one third of total cost.

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