What Is The Reason? Power Mobility Is Fast Increasing To Be The Most Popular Trend In 2024?

Power Mobility and Safety Concerns

Power mobility allows those who are in long-term care in their routine activities and leisure pursuits. These devices also raise security concerns that need to be addressed.

Instead of excluding residents who have certain diagnoses from use of power mobility, which may be considered risk management prejudicial, most participants opted to adopt a teleological approach and let all residents test a device.

Mobility

A power mobility device provides a way for people who are unable to move around their community or home, and participate in everyday activities that they would not be able to perform. These devices could be a danger not just to the person using them but also to others who are in their the space. Therapists in occupational therapy must assess each client's safety needs to provide the most appropriate suggestions regarding powered mobility.

In an exploratory study conducted by OTs in three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to determine their power mobility use. The goal was to create an environment that allowed 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 significantly increase quality of life for individuals who are mobility-challenged by permitting them to take part 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 well-being of older adults. For many with progressive diseases, power mobilty offers a way to participate in these vital activities.

Many participants considered it not acceptable to remove the chair of a resident, since it would result in a significant interruption to their life or trajectory and essentially prevent them from continuing with the same activities that they used to do prior to their illness progressed. This was particularly true for those in Facility 1 who were in a position to use their power chairs for brief durations and were dependent on others to push them around the facility.

Another option is to slow down the speed at which 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 the wheelchair of a resident.

Safety

Power mobility lets people move more easily. They can also participate in a greater variety of activities, as well as run around on their own. With increased mobility comes an increased chance of accidents. These incidents can result in serious injuries for a few. This is why it is crucial to think about the safety of your client prior to suggesting they utilize power mobility.

First consider determining whether your client is able to safely use their power chair or scooter. This could involve an examination of the physical by a doctor or occupational therapist, or a mobility specialist, based on the nature of your client's impairment and their current health. In some cases, a vehicle lift will be necessary to allow for your client to load and unload their mobility device at home in the community, or at work.

Understanding the rules of road safety is an additional aspect of safety. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, wheelchair users and drivers of cars or buses. The majority of participants in the study have mentioned this issue.

For some this, it meant learning to use their wheelchairs on sidewalks instead of driving through crowded areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed to do so). For others this meant driving more slowly in a busy environment and watching out for people walking.

The last and least preferred option that was to take away a person's wheelchair, was viewed as a double whammy as it would mean losing mobility and hindering the person from participating in the activities of the community and facilities. Diane and Harriet, among others, were among the participants who had their chairs removed.

Other suggestions made by participants included educating other residents staff, family members and other residents about the safety of power mobility. This could include teaching driving basics (such as the correct side to walk on in a hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving techniques while outside and helping them recognize how their behavior affects other people's mobility.

Follow-Up

A power mobility device can have a profound impact on a child's ability to function and participate in life. However, little research has been done on the experiences of children learning to use this equipment. This study employs an approach that is post-previous to study the effects of six months of use with one of four early mobility devices on a school-aged group of children who suffer from severe cerebral Palsy (CP).

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents and children's occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis identified three major themes. The first theme, 'Power for Mobility The theme described how using an electric device impacted more than just locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a power mobility device was often an emotional, transformative journey for participants.

The second theme, 'There's no such thing as a cookbook,' revealed that learning to use a power mobility device was an individual process that unfolded over time in a cyclical fashion. Therapists were required to decide what was appropriate based on each child's abilities and needs. In the initial phase of training and afterwards, therapists needed to be patient with children as well as parents. Many parents and therapists mentioned the need to assist families celebrate their successes and solve problems that arise from the process of training.

Finally, the third theme"Shared space was a look at how the use of a power device could influence the lives of others and how they interact. The majority of the participants in this study believed that it is important to be considerate when using a power mobility device. This was particularly true when driving on public roads. Several participants also noted that they had encountered instances where another's property was damaged due to the use of an electric mobility device, or when a person was injured due to a driver who not yielded right-of-way.

Overall, the results of this study suggest that short-term socialization and power mobility training is feasible for preschoolers with CP in certain classroom settings. Future research should continue to investigate the training and outcomes of this type of intervention for children with CP.  powered mobility scooter  should hopefully result in the development of more standardized training protocols specifically for this group of children.