Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility allows individuals who are in long-term care to take part in their everyday activities and leisure pursuits. The devices can also pose safety concerns, which must be addressed.
The majority of participants opt to take a teleological approach and allow all residents the chance to test devices, not to exclude residents with specific diagnosis that could be viewed as a risk management decision that is prejudicial.
Mobility
A power mobility device is a method for people with limited mobility to move around in their community or home, and also to take part in activities of daily living that they might not otherwise be able to do. However, these devices can also pose a risk to the person using them, and also to other people who share their space or space. Occupational therapists should carefully consider the safety requirements of each client prior to 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 regarding their power mobility use. The objective was to develop a framework for client-centred power mobility prescribing. The findings revealed four main themes: (1) power mobility meaning, (2) learning road rules, (3) red flags - safety concerns and (4) solutions.
Power mobility can improve the quality of life for people with limited mobility. This is due to the fact that it lets them participate in daily activities at home and in the community. Participation in self-care or leisure activities, as well as productive ones is crucial to physical and mental health of older adults, and for those with chronic illnesses power mobility can be a way to continue participating in these important activities.
Many participants considered it not acceptable to remove the chair of a resident, since it would result in a significant change in their life or path and prevent them from continuing with the same activities they were doing prior to the progression of their illness. This was particularly applicable to those in the Facility 1 who were only allowed to use their power chairs for a short period of time and now relied on others to push them.
Another possible solution is to limit the speed at which residents drove their chairs, however this could have raised concerns, including privacy issues and the impact on other residents in the community. Ultimately, removing a resident's chair was considered the most drastic and least desired solution to safety concerns.
Safety
Power mobility allows disabled people to move around more easily, participate in a wider variety of activities, and even complete around. With increased mobility comes an increased risk of accidents. For some, these incidents could cause serious injuries to themselves or others. It is crucial to think about the safety of your clients prior to recommending the use of power mobility.
First consider determining whether your client is able to safely operate their scooter or power chair. 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 and their current health. In some cases, a vehicle lift will be required to allow for your client to load and unload their mobility device at home or in the community 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 trucks, cars or buses. A majority of the participants have mentioned this issue.
For some it meant learning to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through crowded areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing so). Others drove slower and paid attention to pedestrians in a crowd.
The final and least preferred option was to remove a person's chair, which was seen as two-fold punishment loss of mobility independent and preventing access to facilities and community activities. Diane and Harriet, among others, were among the participants who had their chairs taken away.
The participants also suggested that residents, family members, and staff members be educated on the safe use of power mobility. This could include teaching the basics of driving (such as the correct side to walk on in a hallway), encouraging the residents to practice driving skills when they go outside and assisting them to recognize how their behavior affects other people's mobility.
Follow-Up
A power mobility device can significantly impact the ability of a child to function and take part in life. However, little research has been done about the experience of children who learn to use this equipment. This study employs the pre-post method to investigate the impact of six months' experience using one of four early power mobility devices on a group of school-aged children with severe cerebral palsy (CP).
We conducted qualitative interviews with 15 parents, and also occupational and physical therapists for children. Thematic analysis identified three main themes. The first theme, 'Power for Mobility explained the ways that using a powered device affected more than just locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a power mobility device can be an emotional, transformative experience for those who participated.
The second theme, 'There isn't any cookbook,' revealed that the process of learning to use the power mobility device was an individualized process that unfolded over time in a cycle. Therapists were asked to decide what was appropriate in light of the child's capabilities and requirements. During visit the next website and after, therapists had to be patient with children as well as parents. Therapists and parents alike emphasized the need to assist families celebrate their successes and address issues related to the training process.
The third theme, "Shared space", examined how the use of the power device can affect the lives of others. The majority of those who participated in this study felt that people must be mindful of other people when using their mobility device. This is particularly true when driving in public areas. Many participants also reported that they had encountered situations in which someone else's property was damaged through the use of the power mobility device or when a person was injured by a driver who had not yielded the right-of-way.
The results of this study suggest that socialization and power mobility training for preschoolers with CP can be conducted in specific classroom settings. The next research study should examine the effectiveness of training and outcomes for this type of intervention in children with CP. This will hopefully lead more standard training protocols for children with CP.