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Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility allows those who are in long-term care to take part in their routine activities and leisure pursuits. The devices can also pose safety risks, which need to be addressed.

Most participants chose to take a teleological approach and provide all residents with the chance to test devices, not to restrict residents with certain diagnosis which could be considered an unfair risk management.

Mobility

A power mobility device is a method for people with limited mobility to move about their community or home, and participate in everyday activities that they may not be able to participate in. However, these devices may also be a danger to the person using them, as well as other individuals who share their environment or space. Occupational therapists must carefully evaluate the safety needs of each client to provide the most appropriate suggestions 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 regarding their use of power mobility. The aim was to create a framework for client-centred power mobility prescribing. The results revealed four major themes: (1) power mobility meaning, (2) learning road rules, (3) red flags safety concerns, and (4) solutions.

Power mobility can significantly increase quality of life for individuals who are mobility-challenged by permitting them to take part in a range of daily life activities, at home as well as in the community (Brandt, 2001; Evans, 2000). Participation in self-care, productive and leisure occupations is crucial for physical and mental health for older adults, and for many people who are suffering from progressive illnesses power mobility is an opportunity to continue taking part in these vital activities.

The majority of participants felt it was unacceptable to remove the resident's chair since this could cause a huge interruption to their life or course of action, and ultimately stop them from continuing with the same activities that they had been doing before their illness progressed. This was particularly the case for those in the Facility 1 who were capable of maintaining their power chairs for brief periods of time and were forced to rely on other residents to move them around the facility.

Another option is to slow down the speed at which residents drive their chairs. However it could create a number issues such as privacy and the impact on the rest of the community. The most drastic solution to safety concerns was to get rid of the wheelchair of a resident.

Safety

Power mobility allows people to move more freely. They are also able to participate in a broader range of activities and do the errands. However, with greater mobility comes a greater risk for accidents. For some, these accidents could cause serious injuries to themselves or others. This is why it is vital to think about the security of your client before suggesting that they use a power mobility.

The first step in assessing security is to determine if your client is able to safely operate their power wheelchair or scooter. Based on the nature of their condition and their current health, this may involve a physical assessment by an occupational or physician therapist, as well as having a conversation with a mobility specialist to determine if a specific device is appropriate for them. In certain situations it is necessary to have a vehicle lift. be required to make it possible for your client to unload and load their mobility device at home in the community, or at work.

Understanding the rules of road safety is a further aspect of safety. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, wheelchair users and bus drivers. This is a topic that was mentioned by a majority of participants in the study.

For some it meant learning to use their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through crowded areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed to do such). Others drove more slowly and looked out for pedestrians in an area that was crowded.





The final and least popular option that was to take away the wheelchair of a person, was viewed as a double-punishment as it would mean losing mobility, and also preventing the person from participating in the activities of the community and facilities. Diane and Harriet, among others, were among the participants who were stripped of their chairs.

Participants also suggested that family members, and staff members be trained on the safe use of power mobility. This could include teaching driving basics (such as the correct side to walk on in the hallway), encouraging the residents to practice driving skills while outside and assisting them to recognize how their behavior affects other people's mobility.

Follow-Up

The capacity and willingness of a child to participate in life can be greatly affected by a device that can power them. There has been little research into the experiences children go through when they first learn to make use of these devices. This study uses an approach that is post-previous to study the effects of 6 months of experience with one of four early mobility devices on a school-aged group of children suffering from severe cerebral palsy (CP).

We conducted qualitative interviews with 15 parents, along with occupational and physical therapists for children. Thematic analysis identified three major themes. The first theme, 'Power to move The theme described the ways that using a powered device affected more than just the child's locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a power mobility device can be a transformative, emotionally charged experience for those who participated.

The second theme 'There's no recipe book' showed that the process of learning to make use of a mobility device was a process that developed in a way that was cyclical over time. Therapists were required to discover the most appropriate solution for each child's needs and abilities. During the training phase and after, therapists had to be patient with children as well as parents. Many parents and therapists mentioned the need to assist families celebrate their successes and solve challenges associated with the training process.

Finally, the third theme"Shared space The study explored how the use of a power device could have an impact on the lives of other people and their interactions. The majority of the participants in this study believed that it is important to be mindful when using a power device. green power mobility was particularly relevant when driving on roads that are public. Participants also said that they've witnessed situations in which property belonging to someone else had been damaged by the use a power mobility device, or a person has been injured by a driver who didn't yield the right of way.

The results of this study show that socialization and power mobility training for preschoolers with CP can be conducted in specific classroom settings. Future research should be focused on the effectiveness of training and outcomes of this type of intervention for young children with CP. This could result in the development of more standardized training protocols specifically for this group of children.