Choosing assistive technology around your everyday needs

Name the task you want to make easier

Start with the activity rather than a product category. You might want to communicate in a busy place, prepare a meal, control your environment or move between spaces. Describe what you want to do, where you will do it and what currently gets in the way.

Include preferences that affect whether you will actually use a solution: size, appearance, noise, portability, the effort to set it up and how it fits with existing routines. The most complex product is not automatically the most useful one.

Ask what a trial would look like

A demonstration in a showroom can be helpful, but it may not reflect use at home, work or in the community. Ask whether you can try the product in the relevant environment, what support is provided and how you would evaluate the result. Find out the conditions before agreeing to a trial.

• Which specific task should become easier, and how will you know?
• Can the product work with your existing equipment and devices?
• What setup, adjustment or training is needed?
• Who else needs to learn how to support its use?
• What happens if the trial shows it is not suitable?

Look beyond the purchase price

Ask about delivery, fitting, training, servicing, replacement parts, consumables and software subscriptions where relevant. Clarify who you contact if it stops working, whether local support is available and what a repair could involve. If the equipment is essential to your routine, discuss a backup plan.

For connected technology, ask what data is collected, where it is stored, who can access it and whether key functions still work without internet access. Read subscription and account conditions before agreeing to ongoing charges or sharing personal information.

Get the right assessment

Some products can be explored through everyday comparison. Others, particularly equipment affecting posture, transfers, mobility or safety, require individual professional advice. A suitably qualified professional can consider how the equipment, task and environment interact. This guide does not prescribe a device or a setup.

Ask the assessor or supplier to explain alternatives and any relationship they have with a product or provider. Request information in a form you can compare and keep. Bring someone to the discussion if that helps you ask questions, while keeping your own priorities central.

Confirm funding before committing

A product being described as assistive technology does not establish that it will be funded for you. Check the current rules with the relevant funding program and clarify the steps before making a purchase. For NDIS information, start with the official NDIS website. Avoid relying on a retailer’s funding claim alone.

If the product will be used at home, our home accessibility guide can help identify the space and routines involved. Keep the final decision focused on a practical outcome that matters to you.