The findings from these selected stories raise some critical issues in relation to assistive technology among elderly people. There is no doubt that technology has potential to improve the lives of elderly persons especially those that have disabilities. This study reveals the various attempts by various parties and the elderly people themselves, to access and use an assistive device to improve their mobility increase their functionality and compensate for the reduced strength. The same findings reveal however that for several reasons, not all elderly people are able to benefit from the use of assistive technologies, bringing us to question what qualifies to be an assistive technology. The discussion specifically points out three critical issues that need to be re-examined in the process of assigning and providing assistive technologies especially to elderly people in similar setings.

First, are the assumptions made on the need for assistive technologies. Jaaja Mulokole`s story for instance shows on one hand the efforts of different players in providing assistive technologies to the elderly, but also the assumptions contained in the belief that elderly people with disabilities need to have an assistive mobility technology to aid their mobility.

On the other hand, the story shows the efforts of the elderly people themselves to improvise with what works best, suiting their physical and social environment. The stick, the stool and the water harvesting mechanism in this case was a self-made innovation, not exactly for mobility but for their day to day functionality, and appropriated for the user`s mobility. For the activities she needed to do, she managed to put together a set of devices, tools and means to enable her function, and these become assistive technologies for her.

Second, is the need to question; functionality or mobility for what? Whereas some elderly people advanced the reason of not having children to push them in the wheelchair as a reason for not using one, interestingly, others refused to use the wheelchair because they have children who can help them to do most of the household chores for which they would have wanted to be mobile. Ms. Namusoke (another respondent) asked me when I was discussing with her on why she did not use a wheelchair that she had kept in her bedroom since she acquired it, 5 years ago, or try to use her crutches that she kept in one corner of the house, where do I want to go?..i have my grandchildren, I can send them anywhere, they bring me food right here, they bring me tea right here, now what else do I want? For me this age I should just sit and eat . The absence or presence of children as helpers therefore being an important aspect but this seemingly could have a positive or negative influence on the use of wheelchairs.

In Uganda, and many parts of Africa, children do provide labor for domestic chores 21 and this is not perceived as child labor, but the role of children in the family. The elderly therefore, even without a disability, would often send children for almost everything within the house and around the home. In Uganda, an adult person would feel dignified if they have a younger person to fetch water for them, to cook food, wash clothes and clean the home, and what is left to be done are usually the personal activities such as bathing, dressing, for which no wheelchair is required but other simpler artifacts if not techniques (learning to use their bodies differently). As they often referred to old age as a time to sit and eat, revealing how they weren t expected to struggle or be physically very mobile but the younger ones are expected to do most of the chores.

Third, the Image and social meaning of the wheelchair. The sources and process of acquiring the wheelchair gave it meaning once acquired. Elderly people acquire devices from their sons and daughters as a form of social responsibility and obligation, health workers as a form and part of medical care, Christian organizations as a form of charity and good works, neighbors as well as other concerned members of the community, and from local artisans when assistive technologies are provided as a form of business. It is clear that the source influenced use and people clearly tagged meaning to the source of the device: devices acquired from children, such as modern metallic walking sticks, were so treasured, loved and valued. On the other hand, often times, devices acquired from the hospital were a symbol of sickness. Elderly people often when I asked why they are no longer using the wheelchair or crutches, it was common to receive a response like I was given that device because I was sick in the hospital . I noted that the response was never because I couldn t move or because I became immobile . And many rejected the wheelchair because they were not that sick . Therefore there was a strong image of the wheelchair relating it to severe sickness and being crippled.

In Uganda, the wheelchair has no local name, but it is usually referred to as akagalika`balema literally meaning small bicycle for the lame.

A lot has been documented on the social aspects of technology, and recognizing the fact that designers of technologies should have the social aspects in mind, considering empathy and context are essential for effective innovative designs. Caitrin Lynch refers to technological inappropriateness as the right solution to the wrong problem 7. In fact the use of assistive technologies, is expected among other things to improve the social interaction and social functioning of the elderly 9, just as it should for other groups of people. Regrettably however, some of the elderly will abandon the device because they find it socially embarrassing or wondering what other people in their community will think of them when they use such devices.

On the contrary, the walking stick for example did not portray the same image, and this could have to do with the cultural acceptance of the same. The walking stick in Buganda (muggo), formed part of the dressing code of older men who were married (Ssemaka) as a symbol of power and authority. And the King (Kabaka) of Buganda handed a traditional stick (Ddamula) to the prime-minister (Katikiro), also a symbol of authority (muggoogwobuyinza) 22. Although walking sticks talked about in this study were all used as assistive devices to support mobility for the elderly, their cultural symbol, one could argue that made it easier for it to be accepted, and used more effectively.

Generally, old people are made to appear as withdrawn from social interaction processes of society and culture, hence no surprise that they are offered wheelchairs to enable them remain social and interactive. But there is need to understand what they consider important socially, culturally and contextually. In fact, Peter Coleridge notes that culture is not simply a factor to consider, or be taken into account, but is the entire context within which interventions should be done 23. Even though it is assumed that elderly people everywhere would like to remain active, mobile and socially functioning, their desires and goals related to social interaction and communalism are different from one context to another. The kind and nature of Activities of Daily living are also likely to be different in the different contexts.

Designers of assistive technologies should not take care of only the what (technology) and how (design), but why, for who and for what of the technology. This would help to make a meaningful contribution in the lives of the elderly people and rebuild the seemingly broken bridges between the elderly people and the rest of the society. Very important also is the need to asses if what the elderly person requires is a technology or simply a technique (a skill to be able to perform or function within their context). The improvement in technical aspects of technologies therefore, or providing better infrastructure for the elderly or all people with disabilities generally, is not likely to improve uptake and use of such technologies for particular groups of people, if cultural and social aspects are not carefully considered.

A limitation of this study was its scope, in terms of numbers and length of the study. The qualitative part of the study involved 30 respondents in total, and only three of these have been selected for this paper, and these were observed for a period of 12 months. There is need for larger studies specifically focusing on the use of wheelchairs.