Power Mobility and Safety Concerns
Power mobility allows individuals in long-term care to participate in their routine activities and leisure activities. However, the devices can also create safety concerns which need to be addressed.
Instead of excluding residents who have certain diagnoses from power mobility option, which may be considered risk management prejudicial, most participants chose to take a teleological approach and allow all residents to try out a device.
Mobility
A power mobility device allows people who are unable to move about their homes or communities and take part in daily activities that might otherwise be unavailable to them. These devices could pose a risk not only to the individual using them but also to others who share their space or surroundings. Occupational therapists should carefully consider the safety needs of each client prior to making recommendations regarding powered mobility.
In an exploratory study (von Zweck, 1999), OTs from three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority conducted qualitative interviews with residents regarding their power mobility use. The goal was to develop a framework for client-centred 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.
green energy mobility scooters can significantly increase quality of life for individuals who are mobility-challenged by allowing them to participate in a variety of everyday life activities, at home as well as in the community (Brandt, 2001; Evans, 2000). Self-care, active and recreational occupations are vital for physical and mental health of people who are older. For many with advanced illnesses, power mobility can be a means to participate in these important activities.
Many participants considered it unacceptable to remove the resident's chair since it would result in a significant change in their life or course of action, and ultimately stop them from continuing to engage in the same activities that they had been doing before their disease progression. This was particularly the case for those in the Facility 1 who were in a position to use their chairs for short durations and were dependent on others to push them around the facility.
Another solution would be to reduce the speed that some residents drive their chairs. However it could create various issues like privacy and the impact on the rest of the community. In the end, removing a resident's chair was considered the most drastic and least desired solution to safety concerns.
Safety
Power mobility lets people move more freely. They are also able to participate in a wider range of activities, as well as run the errands. However, with increased freedom of movement comes a greater chance of accidents. For some, these accidents could cause serious injuries to themselves and others. This is why it is important to consider the safety of your client prior to recommending that they use power mobility.
The first step in determining security is to determine if your client can safely operate their power scooter or power chair. Based on their disability and current health, this may involve a physical assessment by an occupational or physician therapist, as well as a discussion with a mobility specialist to determine if a particular device is suitable for them. In certain situations, your client will need a vehicle lift to be able to load and unload the device at their home, workplace or community.
Understanding the rules of road safety is another aspect of safety. This involves sharing space with other pedestrians, other wheelchair users and drivers of trucks, cars or buses. This is a topic that was mentioned by most participants in the study.
Some people learnt to drive their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through busy areas or on curbs (unless the wheelchair was made for this). Others drove more cautiously and paid attention to pedestrians in a crowded environment.
The last and least popular alternative was to take away a person's chair, which was seen as two-fold punishment: losing independent mobility and preventing access to facilities and community activities. This was the view of most participants who were able to remove their chairs and included Diane and Harriet.
Participants also suggested that residents, family members, and staff members be educated on the safe use of power mobility. This could include teaching driving basics (such as the right side to walk on in a hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving techniques while outside and helping them be aware of how their actions affect other people's mobility.
Follow-Up
A power mobility device can profoundly affect a child's ability to function and participate in life. However, very little research has been conducted about the experience of children who learn to use this device. This study employs an approach that is post-previous to study the effects of six months of using one of the four early mobility devices on a group of school-aged children of children with severe cerebral Palsy (CP).
We conducted interviews in qualitative format with 15 parents and also occupational and physical therapists for children. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first, 'Power and mobility explained how the use of a powered device changed more than just locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a mobility device can be an emotional and transformative journey for the participants.
The second theme, 'There isn't a recipe book,' showed that learning to use a power mobility device was an individualized process that evolved over time in a cyclical fashion. Therapists were required to determine what was realistic based on each child's abilities and needs. In the initial phase of training and following, therapists were required to be patient with children and parents. A number of parents and therapists emphasized a need to help families celebrate their successes and work through problems that arise from the process of training.
The third theme, "Shared space", explored how the use an electric device can affect the lives of others. The majority of participants in this study felt that one must be mindful of others when using their power mobility device. This is especially relevant when driving on public roads. Participants also shared that they've witnessed situations where someone else's property was damaged due to the use of a motorized device, or a person has been injured by a driver who did not yield the right of way.
Overall, the results of this study suggest that short-term power mobility and socialization training is feasible for preschoolers with CP in certain classroom environments. Future research should continue to investigate the training and outcomes of this kind of intervention for children with CP. This could lead to the development of more standardized training protocols specifically for this group of children.