Manual Wheelchair-Handling Skills of Caregivers: Effect of a Wheelchair Skills Training Program
By Kirby, R. Lee; Thibault, Deborah; Mifflin, Naomi; Smith, Cher; MacLeod, Donald A.; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to test the hypothesis that a Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) can be a practical, safe, and effective way to improve new caregivers’ abilities to handle occupied manual wheelchairs. Ten people with little or no experience handling a wheelchair participated in the study. After taking the Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) Caregiver Version 2.4, the participants received training on how to perform 24 wheelchair skills. A post-training WST was administered at least three days later. Quantitative results are presented, which indicate that the WSTP was effective in improving caregivers’ ability to handle occupied manual wheelchairs. Most of the improvement in individual skill performance seemed to be a result of increased wheelchair knowledge. Implications for further research and evaluations are discussed.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
