Wheelchair Seating And Positioning: Back To The Basics CEU Courses for OTs

Therapists are often key members of the wheelchair seating evaluation team. Seating assessment includes evaluation of current posture and equipment, a mat examination, and equipment recommendations. This course will review the assessment process.

This course presents the role of an occupational or physical therapist in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) evaluation and treatment. The includes access, device placement, mounting, and integration with other assistive technologies.

Wheelchair seating encompasses evaluation, postural management, pressure mitigation, and facilitating function. Seating strategies change, however, when applied to specific client populations. This course will address considerations when working with pediatric, geriatric, bariatric, and degenerative populations.

Occupational and physical therapists are often key members of the wheelchair seating evaluation team. Seating interventions, including pressure management, seated angles, and strategies to address common positioning challenges will be addressed in this course.

Power wheelchairs are designed to provide independent and functional mobility for people unable to efficiently self-propel any type of manual wheelchair. This course will introduce power-operated vehicles (scooters) and power wheelchairs, including features such as drive wheel configuration, power seating, and alternative driving methods.

Most manual wheelchairs are designed for self-propulsion and fall into categories. This course will systematically explore each category with clinical indicators, as well as optimal frame configuration to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce the risk of repetitive stress injury.

This course will present a hierarchy of computer and tablet access options for clients unable to use standard access, such as a keyboard, mouse, and touch screen. Access assessment requires analysis of motor skills, vision, cognition, and functional applications. Alternative keyboards and mice will be presented, as well as other alternative access options.

Dependent mobility devices are not designed for self-propulsion. These include adaptive strollers, transport chairs, tilt in space manual wheelchairs, reclining manual wheelchairs, and standard manual wheelchairs. For very small children, adaptive strollers are often required to meet positional and dependent mobility needs. Other dependent mobility bases, such as transport chairs and standard wheelchairs, are used for quick trips or for temporary use. Clients may also use a dependent mobility base as a back-up to a power wheelchair.

This course is part of the Wheelchair Seating Back To The Basics Topic.

Augmented mobility is used with clients who require assistance in ambulation. This category of equipment includes walking canes, crutches, walkers, and gait trainers. Augmented mobility is used to prevent falls, increase mobility, and provide strengthening and dynamic weight-bearing. This course will systematically present each of these options with clinical indicators.

This course is part of the Wheelchair Seating Back To The Basics Topic.

Once the wheelchair seating assessment has been completed and seating interventions considered, it is time to match specific client needs to product interventions. This course presents various categories of seating systems. Seating systems, whether linear, contoured, or molded, are comprised of primary support surfaces, secondary support components, and materials.

This course is part of the Wheelchair Seating Back To The Basics Topic.