Why Everyone Is Talking About Power Mobility Right Now

Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility improves participation in daily activities and recreation for those who are in long-term care. However, these devices can also cause safety issues which need to be addressed.

Rather than exclude residents with a specific diagnosis from the use of power mobility that could be considered risk management that is prejudicial, the majority of participants opted to adopt the teleological approach and let everyone trial a device.

Mobility

A power mobility device allows people with limited ability to move about their home or community and take part in daily activities that would otherwise be not accessible to them. However, these devices could also be a danger to the person using them, as well as other individuals who are in their space. Occupational therapists need to carefully evaluate the safety needs of each client to make the best suggestions regarding powered mobility.

In an exploratory study carried out by OTs at three residential facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to assess their power mobility use. The objective was to develop a framework for client-centered 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 dramatically improve the quality of life for people who have limited mobility, giving them the opportunity to participate in a variety of daily living activities at home as well as in the community (Brandt, 2001; Evans, 2000). Participation in self-care as well as leisure and productive occupations is crucial for physical and mental health for older adults and for those who are suffering from progressive illnesses power mobility can be an opportunity to continue taking part in these vital activities.

It was considered unacceptable by the participants to take away a wheelchair, as this would disrupt their life story and trajectory, and prevent them from performing the same activities that they had prior to their illness advanced. This was especially applicable to those in Facility 1 who had been allowed to use their power chairs for a brief period and now relied on others to push them.

Another potential solution was reducing the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, however this led to a variety of issues, such as a lack of privacy and the impact on other residents in the community. In the end, removing the chair of a resident was deemed the most drastic and least preferred solution to safety concerns.

Safety

Power mobility allows those with disabilities to get around more freely and take part in a wider range of activities and complete around. However, with increased mobility comes a greater risk for accidents. These accidents can cause serious injuries for a few. This is why it is vital to consider the safety of your client before suggesting they use a power mobility.

The first step in assessing safety is to determine if your client can safely operate their scooter or power wheelchair. This could involve an examination of the physical by a doctor, occupational therapist or mobility specialist, depending on the nature of your client's disability as well as their current health. In some cases the use of a vehicle lift may be required to allow for your client to load and unload their mobility device at home, in the community or at work.

Another aspect of safety is to learn the rules of the road. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, other wheelchair users, and drivers of cars, trucks or buses. This was a theme that was mentioned by the majority of participants in the study.

Some people learnt to drive their wheelchairs along sidewalks instead of driving through crowded areas or on curbs (unless the wheelchair was specifically designed for this). For others it meant driving slow in a crowded area and keeping an eye out for pedestrians.

The final and least preferred alternative was to take away the chair of a person. This was viewed as a two-fold penalty loss of mobility independent and preventing access to facilities and community activities. Diane and Harriet among others were among those who had their chairs taken away.

The participants also suggested that residents, family members, and staff be educated on the safe use of power mobility. This could include teaching driving basics (such as the right side to walk on in the hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving techniques while outside and helping them be aware of how their actions affect other people's mobility.

Follow-Up

A power mobility device can have a profound impact on the child's ability to function and be a part of life. Yet little research has been conducted on the experience of children learning to use this device. This study uses a pre-post design to examine the impact of six months of experience with one of the 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 theme, 'Power for Mobility The theme described how the use of an electric device impacted more than just the child's motor skills. The experience of learning how to operate a powered mobility device is usually an emotional and transformative one.

The second theme, 'There isn't any cookbook,' revealed that the process of learning how to utilize a power mobility device was an individualized process that developed over time in a cyclical manner. The therapists were asked to decide what was appropriate based on each child's abilities and requirements. Throughout the training and post-training phases, therapists were also required to be patient with parents and children. A number of parents and therapists emphasized a need to help families celebrate their successes and solve issues that arise during the training process.

The third theme called 'Shared space The study explored how the use of devices that power us can influence other people's lives and interactions. The majority of the participants in this study believed that people should always be considerate when using a power device. This was especially true when driving in public areas. Participants also said that they've seen instances where property of someone else's had been damaged by the use of a motorized device or a person had suffered injuries from a driver who failed to yield the right of way.

The results of this study indicate that socialization and power mobility training for preschoolers with CP can be conducted in certain classroom settings. green power electric scooter should continue to study the training and results for this kind of intervention in young children with CP. This will hopefully lead to the development of more uniform training protocols for this population.