Perceptions of power mobility use and safety within residential facilities.

BACKGROUND

Power wheelchairs enhance quality of life by enabling occupation, improving self-esteem and facilitating social interaction. Despite these benefits, the risks associated with power mobility use raise serious concerns in residential facilities.

PURPOSE: As there is no gold standard to assess when a client is unsafe, a two-phase study was conducted to develop client-centred guidelines for power mobility use.

METHOD: In the first phase of the study, presented here, 18 in-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with a variety of stakeholders, including power mobility users, other residents, staff and family members.

RESULTS

A thematic analysis of the interviews 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.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Given the importance of power mobility, safety measures need to address issues of mobility and safety for power mobility drivers and those around them.