The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of older children who are new Power Mobility Device (PMD) users. The study purposes are to: describe individual sense of well-being as reported by children who receive their first PMD, determine changes in home and school participation aided by use of a PMD, explore caregiver and educational support persons perspectives on the introduction of the PMD on the child’s home and school participation. We will follow participants over a 6-month period. We will include; one child (age 7-21) who is receiving their first PMD from RCC and who is currently a manual wheelchair user, one or more family members, interviewed together as a family unit and one teacher or educational assistant. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the parent and child at three points in time in person. One semi-structured interview with the teacher or educational assistant will be conducted virtually using the Microsoft Teams platform at one point in time. All questions are customized for each respondent related to mobility, independence, behaviour, peer engagement, participation, self-confidence. At the conclusion of this study, we expect outcomes at the child/family and service delivery levels. We will gain a better understanding of the importance of independent mobility in the lives of older children who had previously been dependent for mobility. Findings will also contribute to improved service delivery by better understanding of the goals, impact, and opportunities to increase participation and well-being through appropriate PMD prescriptions leading to more children with increased independent mobility opportunities.
For more information, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Hammond at ehammond@rccinc.ca