Out of the Box and on a Shoe String

SWOMA 2011-12

Out of the Box and On a Shoe String

Orientation and Mobility for Individuals with Multiple Impairments and Wheelchair Users

Friday, November 11, 2011

Presented by

Lisa Calaci, COMS

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Brenda Gregory, PT

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Do’s and Don’t’s of Charging Power Wheelchairs

Don’t:

Do not allow the chair to go completely dead (this is not good for the battery).
Do not charge the chair if red, yellow, and green light bars are lit on the ‘power meter’ of the chair….the chair is fully charged.

Do:

Do Charge the chair ASAP if only Red Flashing lights are lit on the ‘power meter’ ….if light bars are only red and they are flashing, the chair will not have enough power to make it through the day.
Do charge the chair at the end of the day if only red and yellow lights are lit on the ‘power meter’
Do charge the chair overnight.

***Generally, the chair will need to be charged every other day, but it is OK to charge it daily (It is better to charge it daily than to let it totally run out of power due to a forgotten re-charge)

How to Charge the chair:

Turn off wheelchair
Plug charger into wall
Plug charger into chair
Turn charger ‘ON’ and leave overnight.

Power Wheelchair Information

Student:_

Date:

Staff:

Important Considerations for Supervising a Student in a Power Wheelchair:

Do you know how to work the brakes?
Do you know how to disengage the gears to manually push the chair?
Do you know how to remove the armrests and footpedals?
Are there any specific positioning issues for the student within the chair?
Do you know how to recline/tilt the seat within the wheelchair (or how to fix it if it is inadvertently tilted or reclined)?
Are you familiar with the different speed capabilities of the wheelchair and how to adjust the speed?
Do you know how and how often to charge the wheelchair batteries?
Has O&M worked with this student?
Are there any specific restrictions in place from O&M?
How safe is the student at street crossings?
How close must you be to supervise him/her on campus?
Has the student trained on ramps, doors, safety near curbs?
Has the student been cleared for independent travel on campus during daylight?
Has the student been cleared for independent travel on campus after dark?
Has the student been cleared for off campus travel (with assistance)?
Has the student been cleared for city bus travel (with assistance)?

If you do not know the answers to any of these questions, contact Brenda, in OT/PT, at ext 197.

10/01

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111

Wheelchair Skills Checklist

From: O&M for Visually Impaired Wheelchair Users, by James Scott Crawford,

In Press, American Printing House for the Blind"

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111

CHAIR MECHANICS - ELECTRICS

Turn on chair

Turn off chair

Adjust speed control

Apply brakes independently

Release brakes independently

Apply brakes w/ assistance

Release brakes with assist.

Disengage drive mechanism, independently

Engage drive mechanism independently.

Disengage drive mech. w/ assist.

Engage drive mech. w/ assist.

Adjust wheelie bars independently

Adjust wheelie bars w/ assist

Connect to charger independently

Connect to charger w/assist.

Disconnect charger independently

Disconnect charger w/ assistance

Fold/disassemble independently.

Fold/disassemble w/ Assistance

Unfold/assemble independently

Unfold/assemble w/ assistance

INDOOR MOVEMENT

Stop on command

Stop on own

Stop for hazards, obstacles

Control sudden stop

Forward, straight

Forward turn right

Forward turn left

Pivot in place, right

Pivot in place, left

Pivot forward on right wheel

Pivot forward on left wheel

Back straight

Back, turn right

Back, turn left

Correcting away from wall while backing

Pivot backwards on right wheel

Pivot backward on left wheel

NEGOTIATING OBSTACLE/HAZARDS

Avoiding obstacles - high

Avoiding obstacles low

Detect/stop for drop - offs

Detect slopes/ramps

Detect/stop for overhangs

Negotiate ramps, up

Negotiate ramps, down

Negotiate tight corners

Backing through tight corners

DOORS

Negotiate open doorways, straight in

Negotiate open doorways, turning in left

Negotiate open doorways, turning in right

Negotiate open doorways, backing in straight

Negotiate open doors, backing in w/turn

Operating twist doorknobs

Operating door levers

Operating door thumb latches

Operating panic bars

Opening doors in

Opening doors out

Closing doors in

Closing doors out

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, right

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, left

Opening doors, spring loaded, out, right

Opening doors, spring loaded, out left

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, right, with no space to side

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, left, with no space to side

ELEVATORS

Operate buttons, outside

Operate buttons, inside

Turn around, inside

Turn around, outside

Backing in

Backing out

SIGHTED GUIDE

Follow visually

Follow sounds

Request push as needed

Detect/react to guide's stop

Detect/react to guide's turns

Detect/react to guide's up/down

Describe needs to new guide

Describe technique for ramps

Describe technique for stairs

Describe technique for escalators

LIFTS

Back on lifts

Pull on lift, straight

Operate lift controls independently

Operate lift controls w/ assistance

TRANSFERS

Transfers independently.

Transfers w/ assistance

Describes role to new assistant

RAMPS

Detects ramps

Determines line of travel for ramps

Negotiates ramps w/assistance

Negotiates ramps w/out rails, up

Negotiates ramps w/out rails, down

Negotiates ramps w/rails, up

Negotiates ramps w/rails, down

SIDEWALK TRAVEL

Maintains position on the sidewalk

Corrects for veering

Detects rising level changes

Detects drop offs - front

Detects drop offs - side

Accurately determines the height of drop offs

Safely negotiates lateral slopes

Demonstrates good judgment about which level changes are navigable

Approaches navigable level changes at an appropriate angle.

Safely navigates speed bumps

Controls decent to street

Waits at appropriate place

Demonstrates ability to handle curbs without ramps – un-navigable curbs

Describes assistant's role in climbing un-navigable level changes

Describes assistant's role in descending un-navigable drop - offs

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111

WHEELCHAIR SKILLS CHECKLIST

Developed by Brenda Gregory, PT, Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Based on a checklist developed by Scott Crawford

Student______Wheelchair______

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111

INDOOR MOVEMENT

Stop on command

Stop on own

Stop for hazard,obstacle,person

Control sudden stop

Forward, straight

Forward turn right

Forward turn left

Pivot in place, right

Pivot in place, left

Back straight

Back, turn right

Back, turn left

Correcting away from wall while backing

Demonstrates safety in crowds

Avoiding obstacles-high

Avoiding obstacles low

Detect/stop for overhangs

Negotiate tight corners

Backing through tight corners

DOORS

Negotiate open doorways, straight in

Negotiate open doorways, turning in left

Negotiate open doorways, turning in right

Negotiate open doorways, backing in straight

Negotiate open doors, backing in w/turn

Operating twist doorknobs

Operating door levers

Operating door thumb latches

Operating panic bars

Opening doors in (pull)

Opening doors out (push)

Closing doors in

Closing doors out

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, right

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, left

Opening doors, spring loaded, out, right

Opening doors, spring loaded, out left

Opening doors, spring loaded, in,right,w/o space to side

Opening doors, spring loaded, in, left, w/o space to side

ELEVATORS

Operate buttons, outside

Operate buttons, inside

Turn around, inside

Turn around, outside

Backing in

Backing out

CHAIR MECHANICS-ELECTRICS

Turn on chair

Turn off chair

Adjust speed control

Apply brakes independently

Remove brakes independently

Apply brakes w/ assistance

Remove brakes with assist.

Disengage drive mechanism, independently

Engage drive mechanism independently.

Disengage drive mech. w/assist.

Engage drive mech. w/ assist.

Adjust wheelie bars indep.

Adjust wheelie bars w/ assist

Connect to charger indep.

Connect to charger w/assist.

Disconnect charger indep.

Disconnect charger w/ assist

Fold/disassemble indep.

Fold/disassemble w/ Assist

Unfold/assemble independently

Unfold/assemble w/ assistance

SIGHTED GUIDE

Follow visually

Follow sounds

Request push as needed

Detect/react to guide's stop

Detect/react to guide's turns

Detect/react to guide's up/down

Describe needs to new guide

Describe technique for ramps

LIFTS

Back onto lifts

Pull onto lift, straight

Operate lift controls indep

Operate lift controls w/ assist

TRANSFERS

Transfers independently.

Transfers w/ assistance

Describes role to new assistant

RAMPS

Detects ramps

Determine line of travel of ramp

Negotiates ramps w/assistance

Negotiates ramps w/out rails, up

Negotiates ramps w/out rails, down

Negotiates ramps w/rails, up

Negotiates ramps w/rails, down

SIDEWALK/STREET TRAVEL

Maintains position on the sidewalk

Corrects for veering

Detects rising level changes

Detect/stop for drop-offs in front w/visual contrast

Detect/stop for drop-offs in front w/o visual contrast

Detects drop-offs on Right w/ visual contrast

Detects drop-offs on Right w/o visual contrast

Detects drop-offs on Left w/ visual contrast

Detects drop-offs on Left w/o visual contrast

Accurately determines the height of drop offs

Safely negotiates lateral slopes

Safely negotiates curb-cuts

Demonstrates good judgment about which level changes are navigable

Approaches navigable level changes at an appropriate angle.

Safely navigates speed bumps

Controls decent to street

Stop at approp place at street

Checks for cars

Waits for/Flags cars on

Crosses street w/approp. speed

Demonstrates ability to handle curbs without ramps-un-navigable curbs

Describes assistant's role in climbing un-navigable level changes

Describes assistant's role in descending un-navigable drop-offs

Meets/encounters pedestrians appropriately

BUS TRAVEL

negotiate on/off lift safely, indep

negotiate on/off lift safely,w/asst

negotiate to ‘seat’ safely, Indep

negotiate to ‘seat’ safely,w/asst

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111

This conference is planned and sponsored by the Southwest Orientation and Mobility Association (SWOMA). This event is funded by conference registration fees, with additional support provided by Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired Outreach Programs. We appreciate the contribution of our speakers who generously donated their time to present at this event.

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired Outreach Programs serves as the fiscal agent for this event.

Figure 1 TSBVI Outreach Programs logo.

2011-12 SWOMA – O&M Instuction for Individuals with Mulitple Impairments & Wheelchair Users, Calaci & Gregory, 20111