Older Adult Manual Wheelchair Users
Conditions
Keywords
Mobility Impairment, Manual Wheelchair, Older Adults
Brief summary
The purpose of this project is to conduct a pilot study of the EPIC WheelS wheelchair skills home training program for older adults in preparation for a third phase feasibility study.
Detailed description
Many older adults rely on a manual wheelchair for community mobility but are not provided with skills for independent and effective use. Suboptimal or disuse of the wheelchair results in substantial social costs such as reduced engagement in meaningful activity, social isolation, and higher caregiver burden. This represents a poor use of financial resources, including the cost of wheelchair acquisition and demands for attendant care. Access to skills training is constrained by the cost and limited availability of skilled therapists, the demands of patient and clinician travel, and lack of programs designed specifically for the needs of older adults. Enhancing Participation In the Community by improving Wheelchair Skills (EPIC WheelS) is an individualized home-training program that optimizes learning for older adults while limiting the demands on expert clinician trainers. It is delivered using a portable computer tablet that allows interactive learning, customized updating, and communication with an expert trainer. A monitored, home program that is effective and efficient for older adults has potential application for other target groups as well, particularly those with limited access to rehabilitation services in rural and remote locations.
Interventions
OTHEREPIC WheelS
EPIC WheelS is a user-centred program for wheelchair skills training that combines two structured 1-hour sessions with an expert trainer and four weeks of self-directed practice and training in the natural (home) environment.
Sponsors
University of Manitoba
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* at least 50 years old * live in the community within metropolitan Winnipeg * self-propel a MWC (Manual Wheelchair) at least 1 hour per day * use their MWC for mobility outside of the home * have used a MWC for less than 2 years
Exclusion criteria
* cannot communicate and complete study questionnaires in English * anticipate a health condition that contraindicates wheelchair training
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Baseline in Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) 4.1 Capacity Score | Baseline and follow-up (1 month) | The WST is a structured assessment with 32 discrete mobility skills required to perform social roles in the community, each scored dichotomously as pass/fail. The WST produces a total Skill Capacity score (0-100%) reflecting the number of skills safely passed. |
Countries
Canada
Participant flow
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Training Intervention EPIC WheelS : EPIC WheelS is a user-centred program for wheelchair skills training that combines two structured 1-hour sessions with an expert trainer and four weeks of self-directed practice and training in the natural (home) environment. | 2 |
| Total | 2 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Training Intervention |
|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 1 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 1 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 66.5 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.2 |
| Region of Enrollment Canada | 2 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 0 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 2 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk |
|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 2 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 2 |
Outcome results
Primary
Change From Baseline in Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) 4.1 Capacity Score
The WST is a structured assessment with 32 discrete mobility skills required to perform social roles in the community, each scored dichotomously as pass/fail. The WST produces a total Skill Capacity score (0-100%) reflecting the number of skills safely passed.
Time frame: Baseline and follow-up (1 month)
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training Intervention | Change From Baseline in Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) 4.1 Capacity Score | 6.25 units on a scale | Standard Deviation 8.84 |