Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility improves participation in daily activities and activities for people in long-term care. The devices can also pose security concerns that need to be addressed.
The majority of participants choose to adopt a teleological perspective and allow all residents the opportunity to test a device, rather than exclude residents with specific diagnoses which could be considered a prejudicial risk management.
Mobility
A power mobility device provides an option for those who are unable to move around their home or community and to participate in activities of daily living that they might not otherwise be able to perform. These devices cause danger not only for the person who uses them, but also to those who share their space or the space. Occupational therapists must carefully assess each client's safety needs to provide the most appropriate suggestions regarding powered mobility.
In an exploratory study carried out by OTs at three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to determine the extent to which they used power mobility. The aim was to develop an environment that allowed for a client-centered power movement prescription. green scooters revealed four main themes: (1) the meaning of power mobility, (2) learning the rules of the road, (3) red flags: concerns about safety and (4) solutions.
Power mobility can greatly improve the quality of life for people with limited mobility by allowing them to participate in a variety of everyday living activities both at home and in the community (Brandt 2001; Evans, 2000). Self-care, productive and recreational activities are essential to the physical and mental health of older adults. For many who suffer from progressive diseases, power mobilty allows them to take part in these important activities.
Participants found it unacceptable to remove a resident's wheelchair, as this would disrupt their life story and trajectory, and prevent them from engaging in the same things they had prior to their illness advanced. This was especially relevant for those in the Facility 1 who had only been able use their power chairs for a short period of time and were now reliant on others to push them.
Another solution would be to reduce the speed that residents drive their chairs. However this could cause a number issues such as privacy and the impact on the rest of the community. In the end, taking away the chair of a resident was thought to be the most drastic and least preferred solution to security concerns.
Safety
Power mobility allows disabled people to move more freely and take part in a wider range of activities and complete errands. However, with greater mobility comes a greater risk for accidents. For some, these incidents can cause serious injuries to themselves or others. This is why it is important to consider the safety of your client prior to suggesting they use a power mobility.
The first step in determining security is to determine if your client is able to safely operate their power scooter or power chair. This could include an examination of the physical by a doctor, occupational therapist or mobility specialist, based on the nature of your client's disability as well as their current health. In certain situations it is necessary to have a vehicle lift. be necessary to allow for your client to unload and load their mobility device at home or in the community at work.
Understanding the rules of road safety is a further aspect of safety. This includes sharing space, with other wheelchair users, pedestrians and drivers of cars or buses. This is a topic that was mentioned by a majority of participants in the study.
Some people learned to drive their wheelchairs along sidewalks instead of driving through crowded areas or on curbs (unless the wheelchair was made for this). For others it meant driving cautiously in a noisy environment and keeping an eye out for pedestrians.
The final and least popular option that was to take away a person's wheelchair, was viewed as a double-punishment: losing independence in mobility and preventing the person from participating in community and facility activities. This was the viewpoint of most participants who were able to remove their chairs and included Diane and Harriet.
The participants also suggested that residents, family members, and staff be trained on the safe use of power mobility. This could include educating residents on the fundamentals of driving (such as driving on the right side of a hallway), encouraging residents to practice driving strategies when they go out and helping them understand how their behavior can influence the mobility of others.
Follow-Up
A power mobility device can profoundly affect a child's ability to function and participate in life. However, very little research has been conducted on the experience of children learning to use this equipment. This study uses a post-previous design to examine the effects of 6 months of using 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 who work with children. Thematic analysis identified three major themes. The first, 'Power in mobility explained the ways in which powered devices changed more than just a child's locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a power mobility device can be a transformative, emotionally charged journey for the participants.
The second theme , 'There's no cookbook' revealed that learning to utilize a mobility device was a process that took place in a cyclical manner over time. Therapists were required to decide what was appropriate based on each child's abilities and needs. In green scooters -training and training phases, therapists were also expected to be patient with parents and children. A number of parents and therapists emphasized a need to help families celebrate their successes and work through challenges associated with the process of training.
Finally, the third theme"Shared space was a look at how the use of a power device could have an impact on the lives of other people and their interactions. The majority of participants in this study felt that one must be mindful of others when using their power mobility device. This is particularly true when driving in public areas. Many participants also reported that they had encountered instances where another's property was damaged due to the use of an electric mobility device, or when a person was injured due to a driver who failed to yield right-of-way.
Overall, the results of this study suggest that short-term socialization and power mobility training is feasible for preschoolers with CP in certain classroom settings. greenpower scooter should continue to investigate the effects of training and results of this kind of intervention for children with CP. This will hopefully lead more standardized training protocols for children who have CP.