Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility allows people who are in long-term care in their routine activities and leisure pursuits. These devices also raise safety concerns, which must be addressed.
The majority of participants opt to take a teleological approach and provide all residents with the chance to test devices, not to restrict residents with certain diagnosis that could be viewed as a risk management decision that is prejudicial.
Mobility
A power mobility device allows those with limited ability to move about their community or home and take part in daily activities that are otherwise unavailable to them. However, about his could also pose a risk to the person using them, and other people who share their space or space. Occupational therapists must carefully assess the safety requirements of each client prior to making recommendations about powered mobility.
In a study that was conducted by OTs at three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to determine their power mobility use. The objective was to establish a framework that could allow for a client-centered power movement prescription. 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 enhance the quality of life of those who have 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, active and recreational occupations are vital for mental and physical health of older adults. For many who suffer from progressive diseases, power mobilty allows them to take part in these essential activities.
The majority of participants felt it was unacceptable to take away a resident's chair, as it would result in a significant disruption in their life story or path and prevent them from pursuing the same activities that they were doing prior to the progression of their illness. This was especially true for those in Facility 1 who were only able use their power chairs for a short period of time and were now dependent on others to push them.
Another solution would be to reduce the speed that residents drive their chairs. However it could create several issues, including privacy and the impact on the rest of the community. The most drastic solution to safety concerns was to remove a resident's wheelchair.
Safety
Power mobility allows people with disabilities to get around more freely, participate in a wider variety of activities, and even run errands. However, with increased mobility comes a greater chance of accidents. For some, these incidents could result in serious injuries to themselves or others. It is important to think about the security of your clients prior to recommending power mobility.
Full File in determining safety is to determine if your client is safe to operate their power wheelchair or scooter. Depending on their impairment and current health, this may involve a physical assessment by a doctor or occupational therapist, or an interview with a mobility expert to determine if a particular device would be appropriate for them. In some instances, your client will need an automobile lift to be capable of loading and unloading the mobility device at their home, community or workplace.
Another aspect of safety is knowing the rules of the road. are green power mobility scooters any good includes sharing space with other wheelchair users, pedestrians and the drivers of buses or cars. This was a theme that was mentioned by most participants in the study.
For some, this required learning to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through areas that were crowded or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing this). For others it meant driving slow in a crowded area and watching out for people walking.
The last and least preferred option that was to take away a person's wheelchair, was seen as a double-punishment: losing independence in mobility, and also preventing the person from participating in community and facility activities. This was the opinion of the majority of participants who had their chairs removed, including Diane and Harriet.
Other solutions that were suggested by participants included educating other residents staff, family members and other residents on the proper operation of power mobility. This could include teaching basic driving skills (such as the correct side to walk on in a hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving techniques when they go outside and helping them understand 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 profoundly affected by a power mobility device. There has been little research on the experiences children have when learning to utilize these devices. This study uses a post-previous design to examine the effects of six months of use with one of the four early mobility devices on a group of school-aged children of children suffering from severe cerebral Palsy (CP).
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents as well as pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first, 'Power in Mobility,' described how the use of powered devices changed more than just a child's motor skills. The process of learning to drive a powered mobility device can be an emotional and transformative experience.
The second theme, 'There isn't a recipe book,' showed that the process of learning to use the power mobility device was an individualized process that evolved over time in a cycle. Therapists were tasked with unearthing what was realistic for the individual child's needs and abilities. In the post-training and training phases, therapists were required to be patient with parents and children. Many parents and therapists mentioned a need to help families celebrate their successes and solve issues that arise during the process of training.
The third theme, "Shared space", examined how the use of a power device can impact other people's interactions and lives. The majority of those who participated in this study felt that people should always show consideration for other people when using their mobility device. This is especially true when driving on public roads. Participants also shared that they had seen situations in which property belonging to someone else was damaged due to the use a power mobility device or a person had suffered injuries from a driver who didn't yield the right of way.
The results of this study suggest that power mobility and socialization training for preschoolers with CP can be carried out in a variety of classroom settings. Future research should continue to examine the effectiveness of training and outcomes for this kind of intervention for children with CP. This could eventually lead to more standard training protocols for children with CP.