Unicare and Sunrise navigate the wheelchair assessment process with allied health partners
Workshop: Navigating the Wheelchair Assessment Process Together
– Real world meets reality
Thursday, 17 August 2023
Technology Park Function Centre, Bentley
We were delighted to welcome 60 allied health partners to our Wheelchair Assessment Workshop in August.
We also welcomed back a familiar face – Prithy Sivaraman. Prithy is part of the Sunrise Medical clinical education team, who travelled from Adelaide to facilitate this workshop with us.
Prithy is a Physiotherapist who has specialised in complex seating and wheelchair prescriptions for adults and children since 2007. Prithy relocated from Perth to Adelaide over 10 years ago to build on her expertise working with paediatric clients and alternative access controls for powered mobility.
She currently works for Sunrise Medical as an educator and trainer, whilst also working closely with the Unicare Health team on orders, account management, and the scripting of complex manual, power seating and wheelchair systems.
Prithy set out on this day to deliver valuable information on the assessment, prescription, and funding of seating and wheelchair prescription.
Prithy kicked off the seminar by addressing the significance of “defining reasonable and necessary”. What is reasonable and necessary for one individual may not be for another. As a therapist, you must be able to identify an individual’s goals as well as factor in funding and support capacities to make effective recommendations.
“What environments is the wheelchair going to be used in? How much 'future-proofing' in regard to adjustment and growth is required? A client is an expert on their own life, make sure their voices are heard.”
She also guided therapists through the various methods available for measuring, and the outcomes you should expect from them. It is vital to obtain accurate measurements of a person’s body and their seated posture to ensure an appropriate fit and function of their wheelchair. All attendees were provided with standard measuring guide resources on the day for their own use.
It is also important to consider factors outside of postural support and functional needs. Your client’s cognitive capacity, sensory impairments and support system can all influence the wheelchair prescription process.
Participants reviewed the specifics of a comprehensive MAT assessment, which is essential to determine a person’s seated position capacity. Unicare Health offers a wide range of equipment to enable a unique optimal seated position, such as the JAY range of wheelchair cushions and wheelchair backrests.
It is imperative to select the correct equipment to replicate the optimal supported position. That’s why Unicare Health offers free in-home trials to ensure the selected equipment is suitable.
When we paused for some morning tea, participants were invited to try out the different manual wheelchair setups and positioning options.
After morning tea, we considered other factors when prescribing a wheelchair, like their material composition. Prithy compared the different material types used in wheelchair frames and where they are most appropriate for use.
Prithy also explored the ergonomics of wheelchair propulsion, emphasising the need to find a balance that minimises stroke frequency, forces generated during propulsion and potentially injurious positions.
Attendees were shown how to measure the centre of gravity on a wheelchair. This is key for striking a balance between stability and enhancing mobility.
The tilt-in-space function on specific wheelchair models was also investigated, with discussions surrounding its function and when it should be used.
We next moved on to the power wheelchairs in the room. The question was posed to the room: How can prescribing power impact a person’s independent mobility?
Power wheelchairs aren’t always accessible to clients for a multitude of clinical and financial reasons. However, it has the potential to change someone’s life, such as those who are unable to manually self-propel.
Attendees were encouraged to try navigating the power wheelchairs present, like the Quickie power chairs. This was a great opportunity to experience how different seating systems, drive bases and power seat functions work together to provide the optimal mobility solution for a client.
Some therapists opted to try navigating the wheelchairs over different terrain.
Therapists left this workshop feeling more confident in prescribing seating/mobility systems that promote comfortable, attainable, and functional postures.
Thank you
We’d like to thank Prithy Sivaraman and the Sunrise Medical clinical education team for partnering with us to facilitate this valuable workshop for our allied health partners, especially those who are newer to the wheelchair assessment process.
We’d also like to thank everyone who joined us at our Navigating the Wheelchair Assessment Process Together Workshop, and know that you left with a comprehensive practical understanding of the Sunrise Medical wheelchair and seating system range.
We unicare about going above and beyond for our allied health partners so that they can become expert assistive technology prescribers through the enabling power of applied knowledge. We trust that our training sessions will continue to impact how AT is prescribed to achieve better health and wellness outcomes.
