Article

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of mobility among long-term care residents who
use wheelchairs as their main means of mobility. Based on the Matching Person to
Technology Model, we hypothesized that wheelchair-related, personal, and
environmental factors would be independent predictors of mobility. DESIGN:
Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Eleven long-term residential care facilities in
the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Residents (N=268):
self-responding residents (n=149) and residents who required proxy respondents
(n=119). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mobility was
measured using the Nursing Home Life-Space Diameter. Standardized measures of
personal, wheelchair-related, and environmental factors were administered and
sociodemographic data were collected as independent variables. RESULTS:
Independent mobility decreased as the distance from the resident's room
increased: 63% of participants were independently mobile on their units, 40% were
independently mobile off their units within the facilities, and 20% were
independently mobile outdoors. For the total sample, the significant predictors
of mobility, in descending order of importance, were: wheelchair skills
(including the capacity to engage brakes and maneuver), functional independence
in activities of daily living, having 4 or more visits per week from friends or
family, and use of a power wheelchair. This regression model accounted for 48% of
variance in mobility scores. CONCLUSIONS: Limited independent mobility is a
common problem among facility residents. Residents may benefit from interventions
such as wheelchair skills training or provision of powered mobility, but the
effectiveness of these interventions needs to be evaluated.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS