Why Power Mobility Is The Right Choice For You?

Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility improves participation in daily activities and activities for people in long-term care. However, these devices can also pose safety risks that must be addressed.

Instead of excluding residents with a specific diagnosis from the power mobility option, which may be considered prejudicial risk management, most participants preferred to take an approach based on teleology and let everyone test a device.

Mobility

A power mobility device provides an option for those who are unable to move around in their home or community, and participate in daily activities that they may not be able to participate in. However, these devices could also pose a risk for the person who uses them, as well as other individuals who are in their space. Occupational therapists should carefully consider the safety requirements of each client before making recommendations regarding powered mobility.

In an exploratory study (von Zweck 1999), OTs from three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority conducted qualitative interviews with residents about their use of power mobility. The aim was to develop a framework that would allow for client-centred power movement prescribing. The results revealed four main themes: (1) the meaning of power mobility, (2) learning the rules of the road, (3) red flags concern about safety and (4) solutions.

Power mobility can significantly increase quality of life for people with limited mobility by permitting them to take part in a variety of everyday living activities at home as well as in the community (Brandt 2001; Evans, 2000). Participation in self-care or leisure activities, as well as productive ones is essential to mental and physical health for older adults, and for many people with chronic illnesses, power mobility offers the opportunity to keep participating in these important activities.

The participants felt it was inconvenient to remove a resident's wheelchair, as this would disrupt their life's narrative and direction and stop them from engaging in the same things they were doing before their condition advanced. This was particularly true for those in the Facility 1 who had only been able use their power chairs for a short time and were now reliant on others to push them.

Another possible solution is to limit the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, but this could have raised issues such as privacy issues and the impact on other residents in the community. In the end, taking away a resident's chair was considered the most drastic and least preferred solution to security concerns.

Safety

Power mobility allows people to move more freely. They can also take part in a broader range of activities, as well as do errands. With greater mobility comes a higher chance of accidents. These incidents can result in serious injuries for some. This is why it is important to think about the safety of your client before suggesting they use power mobility.

First consider determining whether your client can safely operate their power chair or scooter. Depending on the nature of their condition and their current health, this may involve a physical assessment by a physician or occupational therapist, or an interview with a mobility expert to determine whether a specific device is suitable for them. In some instances your client may require a lift for their vehicle to be capable of loading and unloading the device at their workplace, home, or community.

green power folding mobility scooter  of safety is to learn the rules of the road. This includes sharing space, with other wheelchair users, pedestrians and bus drivers. This is a topic that was mentioned by a majority of participants in the study.

For some, this meant learning to use their wheelchairs on sidewalks, instead of driving through crowded areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing this). For others, it meant driving more cautiously in a noisy environment and watching out for people walking.

The most popular and least desired option that was to take away the wheelchair of a person was seen as a double-punishment as it would mean losing mobility and preventing them from participating in activities with the community or at facilities. This was the viewpoint of most participants who were able to remove their chairs and included Diane and Harriet.

Participants also suggested that residents, family members, and staff be informed about the proper use of power mobility. This could include teaching driving basics (such as which side to walk on in a hallway), encouraging the residents to practice driving while outside and helping them be aware of how their actions affect the mobility of other people.

Follow-Up

A power mobility device can have a profound impact on a child's ability to function and be a part of life. There is little research on the experiences children have when learning to utilize these devices. This study uses a pre-post design to examine the impact of six months of use using one of four early power mobility devices on the children in school with severe cerebral palsy (CP).

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents and children's occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis identified three main themes. The first, 'Power in mobility,' explained the ways in which powered devices changed more than just the motor skills. The experience of learning to drive a motorized mobility device is often an emotional and transformative one.

The second theme , 'There's no cookbook' revealed that learning to use the mobility device was a process that developed in a continuous manner over time. The therapists were asked to determine what was feasible based on each child's abilities and needs. Throughout the training and post-training phases, therapists were also required to have patience with parents and children. A number of parents and therapists emphasized the need to assist families celebrate their successes and solve challenges associated with the training process.

Finally, the third theme called 'Shared space was a look at how the use of devices that power us can have an impact on the lives of others and how they interact.  green power folding mobility scooter  of the participants in this study believed people must be mindful of other users when using a mobility device. This was especially relevant when driving on public roads. Participants also mentioned that they've seen instances where property of someone else's had been damaged by the use of a motorized device, or a person has been injured by a motorist who did not yield the right of way.

The results of this study suggest that power mobility and socialization training for preschoolers with CP can be conducted in specific classroom settings. Future research should be focused on the training and outcomes of this type of intervention for children with CP. This will hopefully lead more standardized training protocols for children with CP.