Page 26 - Mobility Management, September/October 2021

ATP Series
Power Base Priorities
dissipating a lot of the shock before it gets up to the consumer. That helps maintain their position and conserve energy.
“I think suspension absolutely has improved, so we’re of course dealing with energy conservation. If someone’s not fighting against gravity or the ride of the chair is such that they can navigate normal obstacles without moving their body as much as they would in
older chairs, it’s going to help them stay out of bed much longer. Maintaining a functional position by not having the body moved, not having tone or spasticity kick in that will move them, helps them to stay out of bed longer and helps them stay in their technology longer.”
Taking in the Whole Picture
So maybe choosing the best power chair is less about obsessing over drivetrains and more about taking in as much information as possible about the consumer.
“Diagnosis alone has never driven my consideration for wheelchair base configuration, as the physical, functional, and environmental considerations of each person are far too varied,” Piriano said. Instead, she focuses on factors such as how the client’s weight is distributed, the seating and accessories that will be needed, current and future medical conditions or progressions (ventilator, cough assist?), and how the client transfers.
Peterson agreed that details are crucial. “It’s tracking
technology,” he said. “It’s also the ability to dial in simple drive parameters and drive settings so you’re not constantly giving those commands to maintain a straight line. It’s also the setup of the chair. So if the chair is set up well, where you don’t have really aggressive caster swings or aggressive movement of the base, it’s going to preclude the use of a lot of movements of the joystick.
“The tracking and suspension — they’re big parts, but they’re small parts of the overall picture. It’s the caster size, it’s the caster type. It’s where the person is centered on the chair, center of gravity wise. It’s the cushion they’re sitting on. It’s the armrest support, it’s the footrest support. Tracking technology and suspension are parts that can really make it better, but they’re not the only things.”
In the end, nothing is more important than knowing the power chair user. “Having had the benefit of working with so many different types of power chairs and talented ATPs, there’s almost nothing we can’t do with the technology that’s out there today,” Peterson said. “We have the ability to do so much, from an electronics standpoint, from a setup standpoint, from an easy setup standpoint — center of gravity that moves, really optimizing the balance and performance of a chair. I just hope we all take the time to ask those extra questions that may make the difference between a chair that someone lives
in for five years and a chair that someone thrives in and finds new independence and function for five years.” m
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