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Introduction: Various retinal implants are being developed and appear to be a promising option for improving the visual capacities of individuals with retinal dystrophy. A multidisciplinary approach to both assessment of a candidate’s factors and rehabilitation could contribute to improved activity and participation. The purpose of this study was (i) to document the approach taken by a multidisciplinary team in the candidate selection process and in training in the use of the Argus II retinal prosthesis system (RPS), and (ii) to examine the effects of the RPS on sensory and mental functions and on activity and participation. Methods: An A1-B1-A2-B2 experimental case report was used, with repeated measures pre- and post-rehabilitation program design. The A phases represent the periods with the system off, whereas the B phases represent the periods with the system on. A 65-year-old man with retinitis pigmentosa and total blindness was followed by a multidisciplinary team for over 18 months. After receiving the retinal implant, he benefited from a 10-week rehabilitation program (twice per week; B1 phase). Results: Globally, the RPS improved vision in the B phases when the system was on and visual acuity was stable at 2.3 logMAR (functional blindness). The participant’s mental and neuromusculoskeletal function scores were generally stable throughout the data collection periods. Lower performance on some measures at the end of phase B2 coincided with a negative mood. Discussion: Use of the RPS improved activity, but this did not transfer into greater participation in the living environment. Despite efforts made by the rehabilitation team to manage the user’s expectations concerning the RPS, the interventions reactivated his grieving over his vision loss. Implications for Practitioners: New technologies can make users dream of unrealistic possibilities, and managing their expectations requires problem solving supported by a multidisciplinary team.

Significance Charles Bonnet syndrome is commonly encountered and diagnosed in low-vision patients. It can be distressing for some of them, as there is no known effective treatment of this condition. Although there is a growing interest in retinal implants for blind patients with severe retinal diseases, the effect of these devices on Charles Bonnet syndrome visual hallucinations remains undocumented. Purpose The aim of this study was to report changes in the Charles Bonnet syndrome of a patient with retinitis pigmentosa after implantation of the Argus II retinal prosthesis. Case report A 65-year-old patient with retinitis pigmentosa and no light perception was frequently experiencing Charles Bonnet syndrome. In the hope of improving his vision, he received an Argus II retinal prosthesis in 2018 and participated in a 10-week rehabilitation program at the Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille. The nature and the frequency of his Charles Bonnet syndrome were documented with the Questionnaire de reperage du syndrome de Charles Bonnet (a French questionnaire used to screen for Charles Bonnet syndrome) before the surgery and for 70 weeks after it. The patient's visual acuity and visual fields were monitored during the same period. Additional tests were administered to document the visual, psychological, and cognitive states of the patient throughout the study. Conclusions Although this case report confirmed that Argus II retinal prosthesis improves the performance of blind patients in visual tests, the improvement was not associated with a decrease in the symptoms of Charles Bonnet syndrome.

Purpose: This article describes and analyses the journey with technology of a woman with deafblindness, from her first experiences with communication assistive devices (CADs) until the setup of her homemade CAD. More specifically, it describes the homemade CAD setup, reports on her journey with technology until the setup, and examines the setup process and its outcomes in terms of user innovation and changes in life domains.Materials and Methods: This is a case study report derived from a previous assessment study. It was documented on the basis of meetings, operation sessions, literature searches, clinicians' memories as well as observations, impressions, stories and interviews from previous field visits. Analyses were performed based on von Hippel's description of the user innovation process and the Activities and Participation domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The participant in this case study was a female client of a deafblindness rehabilitation program in the Montreal region, living with type 1 Usher syndrome.Results and Conclusions: The homemade CAD setup was based on an electronic braille notetaker connected to an iPhone via Bluetooth. The software included the iOS operating system, the VoiceOver screen reader and a text editing application, all running on the iPhone. The examination of the participant's journey found the presence of the four characteristics of the user innovator proposed by von Hippel. It appears that the participant's life has been positively impacted by the use of her homemade CAD on the nine "Activities and Participation" domains of the ICF.Implications for RehabilitationA CAD may make it easier to achieve some rehabilitation goals with respect to social participation.A person with deafblindness who becomes more autonomous with communications requires less support from rehabilitation professionals.An iPhone-based CAD provides access to a normalizing life and results in better self-esteem, among other things.Lead users facilitate future professional interventions in the field by providing positive experiences and successes that make the general public aware of the situation of persons using special technologies.

[please note that we have not provided an abstract, given the short communication nature of the text]

[please note that we have not provided an abstract, given the short communication nature of the text]

The main goal of this study was to evaluate a communication assistance device (CAD) for individuals with deafblindness, based on a braille display notetaker connected via Bluetooth to an iPhone. This study examined the use of this device by a 61-year-old woman living with Usher syndrome with sighted and hearing interlocutors during three restaurant outings. The study had three specific objectives: 1) To evaluate the participant’s and her interlocutors’ perceptions of their productivity in the communication interaction in real-life situations, without and with the CAD; 2) To evaluate the participant's emotional experience after using the CAD; and 3) To describe how the communication interactions between the participant and her interlocutors work, without and with the CAD. The relevance, utility and interest of such a communication support technology became clearly apparent, along with the enthusiasm it aroused in her interlocutors. Despite the empowerment it provided, the huge differences in some aspects of interactions made without and with the CAD suggest that the constraints introduced by the use of a CAD modify the nature of communication. Four recommendations are made. Any future development of the technology intended for users with minimal experience working with computers and electronic devices should be encouraged. https://doi.org/10.21827/jdbsc.5.32575

Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a French Canadian questionnaire for the detection of Charles Bonnet syndrome that allows for (i) valid screening and (ii) the examination of different dimensions of the client's visual hallucinations in order to better assess the resulting needs. Method Questionnaire development was guided by interviews with visually impaired individuals experiencing visual hallucinations, as well as supported by scientific literature and expert experience. A clinical study involving 76 individuals with low vision was conducted to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the instrument according to criterion validation. Results Of the 54 closed-ended questions, a subset of 11 revealed a sensitivity of 1.00 and a specificity of 0.77. Two additional questions showed high discriminating potential. Improvements to the wording and structure of some questions aiming at needs assessment were identified and applied. The improved version consists of 55 questions grouped in 8 dimensions: (1) Screening; (2) Characteristics of hallucinations; (3) Psychological impact; (4) Psychopathological origin; (5) Coping strategies; (6) Context of appearance of hallucinations; (7) Time-related matters; (8) Psychosocial support. The screening is operationalized through an algorithm applied to the set of 13 questions. Conclusion The questionnaire will be a valuable aid in screening for Charles Bonnet syndrome among the low vision clientele. However, the screening will need to be supplemented by a focused low vision interdisciplinary assessment including a visual examination and a clinical interview with a psychologist.

Cinq ans après le dévoilement de la Politique de la santé et du bien-être (PSBE), quel était le chemin parcouru? Quels étaient les ajustements à faire? Voilà les questions de départ de notre évaluation. Les approches habituellement employées pour l'évaluation de politiques ne s'avérant d'aucun secours pour y répondre, il fallait trouver une méthode de remplacement. Il a donc été nécessaire de faire preuve de créativité pour réaliser une étude qui soit rigoureuse tout en permettant aux décideurs d'ajuster le tir avant la date d'expiration du délai pour réaliser les objectifs, soit 2002. Le présent article fait le point sur les considérations méthodologiques relatives à la démarche élaborée pour l'évaluation formative de la PSBE en Montérégie., Five years after the appearance of the Policy on Health and Well-Being, what has been achieved? What adjustments are required? These were the preliminary questions our evaluation had to address. But traditional methods used to evaluate policies were of no help in answering them. Therefore, we had to be innovative as our study had to be both rigorous and easy to use by decision-makers who have to make adjustments before the deadline for the attainment of the objectives (i.e. 2002). This paper addresses the methodological issues related to the formative evaluation of the policy in Montérégie.

La prise de décision dans une perspective de meilleures pratiques en réadaptation en déficience physique et en contexte de besoins évolutifs de la clientèle, d’obsolescence rapide des technologies et de budgets limités, requiert le soutien de la veille. Cet article présente la naissance et la mise en place du projet V-TeDDS, veille technologique pour la clientèle avec une double déficience sensorielle. Pour ce faire, les auteures campent les définitions et la raison d’être du projet, décrivent le cycle de veille et ses acteurs, traitent du mode de gestion de projet, exposent la méthodologie, s’intéressent aux rôles et défis des professionnels de l’information, puis abordent les étapes à venir., Decision-making in a perspective for best practices in physical impairment rehabilitation and in the context of the clients’ evolving needs requires the support of information monitoring. This article presents the emergence and launch of the V-TeDDS project, information monitoring for clients with a dual sensorial impairment. To do so, the authors position the definitions and mainspring of the project, describe the monitoring cycle and its stakeholders, discuss the project’s management style, expose the methodology, engage in the roles and challenges of information professionals, and discuss the upcoming steps.