Environmental control systems in chronic care hospitals and nursing homes.

Fifteen severely disabled people residing in institutions were provided with a simple environmental control system which performed five different functions. The disabled people used the equipment an average of ten times a day. Two hours of nursing care by nursing staff would have been required to perform these functions. The cost of the equipment was $1.35 a day. Both the residents and the nursing staff reacted favorably to this innovation. The main benefits which resulted were a heightened sense of independence on the part of the disabled people and a reduction of frustration levels of both the residents and the nursing staff. A considerable savings in nursing care was also achieved.