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Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility allows people in long-term care to participate in their everyday activities and leisure pursuits. The devices can also create safety risks, which need to be addressed.

The majority of participants choose to adopt a teleological perspective and give all residents the chance to test the device, instead of restrict residents with certain diagnosis that could be viewed as a risk management decision that is prejudicial.

Mobility

A power mobility device allows people who are disabled to move around their community or home and take part in daily activities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. These devices could pose a risk not only for the person who uses them, but also to those who are in their surroundings. Occupational therapists need to carefully assess each client's safety needs to make the best recommendations for powered mobility.

In an exploratory study (von Zweck, 1999), OTs from three residential care facilities within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority conducted qualitative interviews with residents regarding their power mobility use. The objective was to establish a framework that would allow the use of power mobility that is centered on the needs of the client. 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 boost the quality of life of individuals with mobility limitations. This is due to the fact that it lets them participate in everyday activities at home as well as in the community. Self-care, productive and leisure activities are essential to the physical and mental well-being of the elderly. For many who suffer from chronic illnesses, power mobility offers a way to participate in these essential activities.

Many participants considered it unacceptable to remove the resident's chair since it would result in a significant interruption to their life or trajectory and essentially prevent them from continuing to engage in the same activities that they were doing prior to the progression of their illness. This was especially the case for those in Facility 1 who were able to maintain their power chairs for short durations and were forced to rely on others to help them move around the facility.

Another option is to reduce the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, but this could have raised concerns, including a lack of privacy and impact on other people in the community. In the end, taking away the chair of a resident was deemed the most drastic and least preferred solution to security concerns.

Safety

Power mobility allows people to move more easily. They can also participate in a wider range of activities, and run the errands. With increased mobility comes an increased risk of accidents. These accidents can cause serious injuries for some. It is essential to think about the security of your clients prior to recommending the use of power mobility.

The first step in determining safety is to determine if your client can safely operate their scooter or power wheelchair. This may include an examination of the physical by a physician or occupational therapist or a mobility specialist, depending on the nature of your client's disability and their current health. In certain situations your client will require a vehicle lift to be capable of loading and unloading the mobility device at their workplace, home, or community.

Learning the rules of road safety is another aspect of safety. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, wheelchair users, and drivers of cars or buses. A majority of the participants have mentioned this issue.

For some this, it required learning to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through busy areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing this). For green energy mobility scooters meant driving slowly in a busy environment and keeping an eye out for people walking.

The most popular and least desired option that was to take away a person's wheelchair, was seen as a double-punishment that would result in the loss of 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.


Other ideas suggested by participants included educating residents staff, family members and other residents on the proper operation of power mobility. This could involve teaching the basics of driving (such as using the right side of the hallway) as well as encouraging residents to practice driving strategies when they leave and helping them understand how their behavior affects the mobility of others.

Follow-Up

The ability of a child and their willingness to be a part of the world can be greatly affected by a power mobility device. However, very there isn't much research on the experience of children who are learning to use this device. This study uses an approach that is pre-post to study the impact of 6 months of experience using one of four early power mobility devices on a group of school-aged children with severe cerebral palsy (CP).

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents as well as pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three major themes. The first theme, 'Power to move explained how using an electric device impacted more than just motor skills. The process of learning to drive a motorized mobility device is usually an emotional and transformative one.

The second theme, 'There's not any cookbook,' revealed that the process of learning to use a power mobility device was an individualized process that unfolded over time in a cyclical fashion. Therapists were asked to determine what was realistic based on each child's abilities and requirements. In the post-training and training phases, therapists were also required to be patient with parents and children. Several parents and therapists described the need to assist families celebrate successes and problem-solve challenges associated with the process of training.

The third theme, "Shared space", looked at how the use of the power device can affect other people's interactions and lives. The majority of the participants in this study believed that people should be considerate when using a 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 the power mobility device or where a person was injured by a driver who failed to yield right-of-way.

The results of this study suggest that power mobility and socialization training for preschoolers with CP can be carried out in specific classroom settings. The next research study should study the training and results for this kind of intervention in young children with CP. This could lead to more standardized training protocols for children who have CP.

Member since: Tuesday, November 19, 2024

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