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Power Mobility and Safety Concerns Power mobility allows those who are in long-term care to take part in their everyday activities and leisure pursuits. However, these devices can also pose safety risks that need to be addressed. Instead of excluding residents with certain diagnoses from the power mobility option that could be considered risk management prejudicial, most participants preferred to take a teleological approach and let everyone try out a device. Mobility A power mobility device allows people with limited ability to move around their community or home and take part in daily activities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. However, these devices may also pose a risk to the person using them, as well as other individuals who are in their space. Occupational therapists must be aware of the safety requirements of each client before making recommendations on powered mobility. In a study that was conducted by OTs at three residential care facilities of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents to determine the extent to which they used power mobility. The goal was to create 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 improve the quality of life for those with mobility limitations. This is because it allows them to take part in daily activities at home and in the community. Participation in self-care or leisure activities, as well as productive ones is crucial to physical and mental health for older adults and for those with progressive diseases power mobility is a way to continue participating in these important activities. Participants found it unacceptable to remove a resident's wheelchair because it would alter their life story and trajectory and hinder them from performing the same things that they were doing before their condition worsened. This was particularly true for those in Facility 1 who were able to maintain their chairs for short periods of time, but were forced to rely on others to help them move around the facility. Another potential solution was reducing the speed at which some residents drove their chairs, however this could have raised issues, such as a lack of privacy and impact on other people in the community. The most drastic solution to safety concerns was to get rid of the wheelchair of a resident. Safety Power mobility allows people with disabilities to get around more freely and take part in a wider range of activities and complete around. With the increased mobility comes an increased risk of accidents. For some, these incidents can cause serious injuries to themselves and others. This is why it is vital to consider the safety of your client prior to suggesting they use power mobility. The first step in determining safety is to determine whether your client is able to safely operate their power wheelchair or scooter. Based on the severity of their impairment and current health, this may involve a physical assessment by a doctor or occupational therapist, or having a conversation with a mobility specialist to determine if a specific device is suitable for them. In some instances the use of a vehicle lift may be required 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 a further aspect of safety. This involves sharing space with other pedestrians, other wheelchair users, and drivers of trucks, cars or buses. A majority of the participants mentioned this theme. For some, this required learning to use their wheelchairs on sidewalks, instead of driving through crowded areas or over curbs (unless specifically designed for doing such). For others this meant driving more cautiously in a noisy environment and watching out for pedestrians. The last and least preferred option of removing the wheelchair of a person, was seen as a double-punishment as it would mean losing mobility and preventing them from taking part in community and facility activities. This was the viewpoint of most participants who had their chairs removed and included Diane and Harriet. Participants also suggested that family members, and staff members be informed about the proper use of power mobility. green mobility scooters could include teaching the basics of driving (such as the right side to walk on in the hallway) as well as encouraging residents to practice driving techniques when they leave, and helping them understand how their behavior affects the mobility of other people. Follow-Up The capacity and willingness of a child to be a part of the world can be greatly affected by a power mobility device. However, there isn't much research on the experiences of children learning to use this equipment. This study uses a pre-post design to examine the effects of six months of experience with one of the four early power mobility devices on children in the school age group with severe cerebral palsy (CP). We conducted qualitative interviews with 15 parents as well as pediatric occupational and physical therapists. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first, 'Power and mobility,' described the ways in which powered devices affected more than just locomotor abilities. Learning to drive a power mobility device can be a transformative, emotionally charged journey for the participants. The second theme 'There's no cookbook' revealed that the process of learning to make use of a mobility device was a process that developed in a continuous manner over time. Therapists were asked to determine what was realistic in light of the child's capabilities and needs. Throughout the training and post-training phases, therapists were required to have patience with parents and children. Many parents and therapists mentioned a need to help families celebrate successes and problem-solve problems that arise from the process of training. The third theme, “Shared space”, explored how the use a power device can impact the lives of others. The majority of participants in this study felt that people should always show consideration for others when using their power mobility device. This was especially true when driving in public areas. A few participants also mentioned that they had encountered instances where another's property was damaged by the use of the power mobility device or when a person was injured due to a driver who not yielded the right-of-way. The results of this study suggest that socialization and power mobility training for preschoolers with CP can be carried out in specific classroom settings. Future research should continue to explore the effects of training and results of this type of intervention with young children with CP. This should hopefully result in the development of more uniform training protocols for this group.