What Is The Reason Power Mobility Is The Right Choice For You?

Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility enhances participation in daily activities and activities for people in long term care. However, the devices could also cause safety issues that need to be addressed.

Rather than exclude residents who have certain diagnoses from power mobility option as it could be viewed as risk management that is prejudicial, the majority of participants preferred to take the teleological approach and let all residents try out the power mobility device.

Mobility

A power mobility device is an option for those who are unable to move around their home or community, and to participate in everyday activities that they may not be able to perform. These devices be a danger not just to the person using them, but also to those who are in their environment. Occupational therapists must carefully assess each client's safety needs to provide the most appropriate suggestions regarding powered mobility.

In a study that was conducted 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 aim was to create an approach to 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 improve the quality of life of individuals with mobility limitations. This is due to the fact that it allows them to participate in everyday activities at home and in the community. Participation in self-care as well as leisure and productive occupations is crucial for physical and mental health for older adults and for many people with chronic illnesses power mobility is a way to continue participating in these important activities.

Participants found it unacceptable to take away a wheelchair, as this would disrupt their life's story and progression and hinder them from engaging in the same things that they were doing before their condition advanced. This was particularly applicable to those in the Facility 1 who had only been allowed to use their power chairs for a short time and were now reliant on others to push them.

Another possible solution is to limit the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, but this led to a variety of concerns, including privacy concerns and the impact on other residents in 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 people to move more freely. They can also participate in a broader range of activities, as well as complete the errands. With increased mobility comes an increased chance of accidents. These accidents can cause serious injuries for some. It is crucial to consider the safety of your clients before recommending the use of power mobility.

First, determine whether your client can safely operate their scooter or power chair. This could include a physical assessment by a doctor or occupational therapist or a mobility specialist, depending on the nature of your client's disability and their current health. In some instances it is necessary to have a vehicle lift. be required to make it possible for your client to load and unload their mobility device at home in the community, or at work.

Knowing the rules of road safety is an additional aspect of safety. This includes sharing space, with other pedestrians, wheelchair users and bus drivers. This topic was mentioned by a majority of participants in the study.

For some, this meant learning to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through areas that were crowded or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing such). Others drove slower and paid attention to pedestrians in a crowd.

The most popular and least desired option of removing a person's wheelchair, was viewed as a double-punishment that would result in the loss of mobility and preventing them from participating in activities with the community or at facilities. Diane and Harriet among others were among those who were stripped of their chairs.

Other suggestions made by the participants included educating other residents staff, family members and other residents on the safe operation of power mobility. This could include teaching the fundamentals of driving (such as driving on the right side of the hallway) as well as encouraging residents to practice driving skills when they go out and helping them to understand how their behavior affects other people's mobility.

Follow-Up

A device that is powered by electricity can profoundly affect the ability of a child to function and participate in life. There has been little research on the experiences children go through when they first learn to make use of these devices. This study uses the post-previous method to analyze the effects of 6 months of using one of the four early mobility devices on a school-aged group of children suffering from severe cerebral palsy (CP).

We conducted interviews in qualitative format with 15 parents, and also pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first theme, 'Power to move', described how the use of the power of a device affected more than just motor skills. Learning to drive a power mobility device can be a transformative, emotionally charged journey for the participants.

The second theme, 'There isn't a cookbook,' revealed that the process of learning to utilize a power mobility device was a bespoke process that developed over time in a cyclical fashion. Therapists were required to discover what was realistic for each child's needs and capabilities. During the training phase and following, therapists were required to be patient with children and parents. Therapists and parents alike emphasized the need to assist families celebrate their accomplishments and address issues related to the process of training.

The third theme, "Shared space", examined how the use of the power device can affect other people's lives and interactions. The majority of the participants in this study believed people should always show consideration for other users when using a mobility device. This is especially important when driving in public areas.  Learn Even more Here  mentioned that they've seen instances where property of someone else's had been damaged by the use a power mobility device or an individual had been injured by a driver who didn't 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 environments. The next research study should study the training and results for this type of intervention for children with CP. This will hopefully result in the development of more uniform training protocols specifically for this group of children.