Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility allows those who are in long-term care in their routine activities and leisure pursuits. The devices can also pose security concerns that need to be addressed.
The majority of participants choose to take a teleological approach and allow all residents the chance to try devices, not to restrict residents with certain diagnosis that could be viewed as an unfair risk management.
Mobility
A power mobility device allows those who are disabled to move about their community or home and participate in daily living activities that are otherwise unavailable to them. However, these devices can also be a danger to the person using them, as well as other individuals who share their environment or space. Occupational therapists must be aware of the safety requirements of each client prior to making recommendations regarding powered mobility.
In an exploratory study carried out by OTs in three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to determine their use of power mobility. 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) the meaning of power mobility, (2) learning the rules of the road, (3) red flags concern about safety and (4) solutions.
Power mobility can greatly improve the quality of life for individuals who are mobility-challenged by permitting them to take part in a variety of daily life activities, both at home and in the community (Brandt 2001; Evans, 2000). Participation in self-care, productive and leisure occupations is essential for physical and mental health for older adults, and for a lot of people who are suffering from progressive illnesses, power mobility offers the opportunity to keep participating in these vital activities.
The participants felt it was inconvenient to take away a wheelchair in order to alter their life's narrative and direction and hinder them from doing the same things they did before their disease worsened. This was especially relevant to those in the Facility 1, who had been able to maintain their chairs for short durations and were dependent on others to help them move around the facility.
Another solution would be to reduce the speed that some residents drive their chairs. However, this could raise various issues like privacy and the impact on the rest of the community. Ultimately, removing the chair of a resident was thought to be the most drastic and least preferred solution to safety concerns.
Safety
Power mobility allows those with disabilities to move around more easily, participate in a wider range of activities and do errands. With increased mobility comes an increased risk of accidents. These incidents can result in serious injuries for certain. It is important to think about the safety of your clients prior to recommending the use of power mobility.
First check if your client is able to safely use their power chair or scooter. This could involve a physical assessment by a doctor, occupational therapist or mobility specialist, depending on the nature of your client's disability and their current health. In certain situations, your client will need a lift for their vehicle to be capable of loading and unloading the mobility device at their home, workplace or community.
go to this site of safety is learning the rules of the road. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, wheelchair users and drivers of buses or cars. The majority of participants in the study discussed this topic.
Some people learned to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving in crowded areas or on curbs (unless the wheelchair was designed for this). Others drove more slowly and kept an eye out for pedestrians in a crowded environment.
The final and least desired option was to remove a person's chair, which was seen as two-fold punishment that would result in losing mobility independently and preventing access to facility and community activities. This was the view of the majority of those who had their chairs removed among them Diane and Harriet.
Other solutions that were suggested by the participants included educating other residents, family members and staff on the proper operation of power mobility. This could include teaching the basics of driving (such as the correct side to walk on in the hallway) as well as encouraging residents to practice driving techniques when they go outside and assisting them to recognize how their behavior affects the mobility of other people.
Follow-Up
The ability of a child and their willingness to be a part of the world can be greatly affected by a device that can power them. Yet little research has been conducted on the experiences of children who are learning to use this device. This study employs an approach that is pre-post to study the impact of 6 months of use with one of the four early power mobility devices on children in the school age group with severe cerebral palsy (CP).
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents as well as pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes. The first, 'Power in mobility,' described how the use of powered devices changed more than just the locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a mobility device can be an emotional and transformative journey for the participants.
The second theme 'There's no cookbook' revealed that learning to use the mobility device was a process that developed in a cyclical manner over time. Therapists were asked to determine what was realistic depending on the individual's capabilities and needs. Throughout the training and post-training phases, therapists were also required to be patient with children and parents. Parents and therapists alike described the need to assist families celebrate their achievements and solve problems associated with the training process.
Finally, green power mobility scooters near me Shared space', explored how the use of an electric device can influence the lives of other people and their interactions. The majority of the participants in this study felt that one should always show consideration for others when using their power mobility device. This is especially important when driving in public areas. Several participants also noted that they've encountered situations in which someone else's property was damaged through the use of a power mobility device, or when a person was injured due to a driver who not yielded right-of-way.
Overall, the findings of this study suggest that short-term socialization and power mobility training is feasible for preschoolers with CP in certain classroom settings. The next research study should investigate the training and outcomes for this kind of intervention in young children with CP. This could eventually lead to more standardized training protocols for children who have CP.