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Power Mobility and Safety Concerns Power mobility allows individuals in long-term care to participate in their everyday activities and leisure activities. However, the devices could also cause safety issues which need to be addressed. The majority of participants choose to adopt a teleological perspective and allow all residents the opportunity to test the device, instead of exclude those with specific diagnoses which could be considered a risk management decision that is prejudicial. Mobility A power mobility device is an option for those with limited mobility to move around in their community or home, and also to take part in daily activities that they may not be able to do. However, these devices may also pose a risk for the person using them, and other people who share their environment or space. Occupational therapists must carefully assess the safety needs of each client before making recommendations about powered mobility. In an exploratory study carried out by OTs at three residential facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to assess their use of power mobility. The objective was to establish a framework that would allow the use of power mobility that is centered on the needs of the client. 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 dramatically improve the quality of life for people who have limited mobility, 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, productive and leisure activities are essential to the physical and mental well-being of older adults. For many who suffer from chronic illnesses, power mobility offers a way to participate in these essential activities. Many participants considered it not acceptable to remove the resident's chair since it would result in a significant interruption to their life or trajectory and essentially prevent them from continuing to engage in the same activities that they had been doing before the progression of their illness. This was particularly relevant to those in Facility 1, who had been in a position to use their power chairs for short durations and were forced to rely on others to help them move around the facility. Another possible solution is to limit the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, but this raised a number of issues such as privacy concerns and the impact on other residents in the community. In the end, taking away a resident's chair was considered the most drastic and least preferred solution to safety concerns. Safety Power mobility allows those with disabilities to move more freely and participate in a greater variety of activities, and even run errands. However, with greater freedom of movement comes a higher risk of accidents. For some, these accidents can cause serious injuries to themselves or others. It is crucial to consider the safety of your clients before recommending power mobility. First consider determining whether green power can safely operate their power chair or scooter. This could involve an examination of the physical by a physician, occupational therapist or mobility specialist, depending on the nature of your client's disability as well as their current health. In some instances your client will require a lift for their vehicle to be able to load and unload the mobility device at home, community or workplace. Learning the rules of road safety is another aspect of safety. This includes sharing space with other pedestrians, other wheelchair users and drivers of trucks, cars or buses. This topic was mentioned by a majority of participants in the study. For some it required learning to use their wheelchairs on sidewalks, instead of driving through busy areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing so). Others drove slower and kept an eye out for pedestrians in a crowd. The most popular and least desired option, which was to remove the wheelchair of a person was viewed as a double whammy as it would mean losing mobility and preventing them from participating in activities with the community or at facilities. This was the opinion of most participants who had their chairs removed among them Diane and Harriet. Other ideas suggested by the participants included educating other residents, family members and staff on the safe operation of power mobility. This could include educating residents on the fundamentals of driving (such as using the correct side of the hallway) and encouraging residents to practice driving skills when they leave and assisting them in understanding how their behavior affects the mobility of others. Follow-Up A child's ability and willingness to take part in the world can be profoundly affected by a device that can power them. There isn't much research on the experiences children go through when they first learn to make use of these devices. This study employs a pre-post design to examine the effects of six months' experience with one of the four early power mobility devices on the children in school with severe cerebral palsy (CP). Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents as well as pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes. The first, 'Power in Mobility explained the ways in which powered devices affected more than just the motor skills. The experience of learning to drive a powered mobility device is often an emotional and transformative one. The second theme, 'There isn't a cookbook,' revealed that the process of learning to use a power mobility device was an individual process that developed over time in a cyclical fashion. Therapists were tasked with unearthing the most appropriate solution for the individual child's needs and abilities. In the initial phase of training and afterwards, therapists needed to be patient with children and parents. Many parents and therapists mentioned the need to assist families celebrate their successes and work through challenges associated with the training process. The third theme, “Shared space”, looked at 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 must be mindful of other people when using their mobility device. This is particularly true when driving in public spaces. A few participants also mentioned that they had encountered instances where another's property was damaged by the use of an electric mobility device, or when a person was injured due to a driver who not yielded the right-of-way. The results of this study indicate that power mobility and socialization training for preschoolers with CP can be carried out in a variety of classroom environments. The next research study should examine the effectiveness of training and outcomes for this type of intervention for children with CP. This could lead to more standard training protocols for children with CP.