Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility improves participation in daily activities and activities for people in long-term care. However, the devices could also create safety concerns that must be addressed.
Instead of excluding greenpower electric scooters who have certain diagnoses from power mobility option that could be considered risk management prejudicial, most participants chose to take a teleological approach and let all residents trial the device.
Mobility
A power mobility device allows people with limited ability to move about their home or community and take part in daily activities that might otherwise be impossible for them. However, these devices may also be a danger to the person using them and also to other people who are in their space. Occupational therapists must be aware of 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 within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority conducted qualitative interviews with residents about their power mobility use. The objective was to develop a framework for client-centered power mobility prescribing. The findings revealed four main themes: (1) the meaning of power mobility, (2) learning the rules of the road, (3) red flags: concerns about safety and (4) solutions.
Power mobility can dramatically improve the quality of life for individuals who have limited mobility, allowing them to participate in a range of daily living activities, both at home and in the community (Brandt 2001; Evans, 2000). Self-care, productive and recreational jobs are essential for the physical and mental well-being of older adults. For many who suffer from progressive diseases, power mobilty can be a means to participate in these important activities.
The participants felt it was inconvenient to take away a wheelchair, as this would disrupt their life story and trajectory, and prevent them from doing the same things they were doing before their condition worsened. go green mobility scooters was particularly applicable to those in the Facility 1 who were only allowed to use their power chairs for a short time and now relied on others to push them.
Another potential solution was reducing the speed at which residents drove their chairs, but this led to a variety of concerns, including privacy issues and the impact on other residents in the community. Ultimately, removing the chair of a resident was deemed the most drastic and least preferred solution to safety concerns.
Safety
Power mobility allows people to move around more freely. They can also take part in a broader range of activities and run the errands. However, with increased freedom of movement comes a higher risk of accidents. For some, these accidents could result in serious injuries to themselves or others. It is important to consider the safety of your clients before recommending power mobility.
First check if your client can safely operate their scooter or power chair. Depending on their impairment and the condition of their current health, this might require a physical examination by a physician or occupational therapist, and having a conversation with a mobility expert to determine if a specific device is appropriate for them. In certain situations it is necessary to have a vehicle lift. be necessary to allow for your client to unload and load their mobility device at home or in the community at work.
Learning the rules of road safety is another aspect of safety. This involves sharing space with other pedestrians, other wheelchair users and drivers of cars, trucks or buses. Most participants in the study have mentioned this issue.
electric power scooters to drive their wheelchairs along sidewalks instead of driving through busy areas or on curbs (unless the wheelchair was specifically made for this purpose). Others drove slower and paid attention to pedestrians in a crowded environment.
The final and least preferred option was taking away the chair of a person, which was viewed as a double punishment loss of mobility independent and preventing access to facility and community activities. This was the opinion of the majority of participants who had their chairs removed, including Diane and Harriet.
Other ideas suggested by participants included educating residents staff, family members and other residents on the proper operation of power mobility. This could include teaching the fundamentals of driving (such as using the correct side of the hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving skills when they go out and assisting them in understanding how their behavior can influence other people's mobility.
Follow-Up
A child's ability and willingness to be a part of the world can be greatly affected by a device for power mobility. There has been little research on the experience that children go through when they first learn to make use of these devices. This study uses an approach that is post-previous to study the effects of six months of use with one of the four early mobility devices on a school-aged group of children with severe cerebral palsy (CP).
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents and children's occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three major themes. The first theme, 'Power to move The theme described how the use of the power of a device affected more than just locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a mobility device can be a transformative, emotionally charged journey for participants.
The second theme, 'There's not a recipe book,' showed that learning to use the power mobility device was an individual process that unfolded over time in a cycle. Therapists were asked to determine what was realistic depending on the individual's capabilities and requirements. In the post-training and training phases, therapists were expected to be patient with parents and children. Therapists and parents alike emphasized the need to help families celebrate their successes and solve problems associated with the process of training.
Finally, the third theme"Shared space', explored the ways in which using a power device could have an impact on the lives of other people and their interactions. The majority of those who participated in this study believed people should always show consideration for others when using their power mobility device. This was particularly applicable when driving on public roads. A few participants also mentioned that they've had to deal with instances where another's property was damaged through the use of an electric mobility device, or when a person was injured by a driver who had not yielded the right-of-way.
Overall, the findings of this study suggest that short-term socialization and power mobility training appears feasible for preschoolers with CP in certain classroom settings. Future research should continue to investigate the training and outcomes of this type of intervention with young children with CP. This could lead to more standardized training protocols for children suffering from CP.