Page 22 - Mobility Management, May/June 2022

ATP Series
“Do Not Hose Down Your Power Chair!”
5 Keys to Keeping Seating & Mobility Clean... in the Pandemic & Beyond
By Laurie Watanabe
EVEN BEFORE COVID-19, users of seating and wheeled mobility sometimes pushed boundaries when cleaning their equipment. How many of your clients or their caregivers have given power chairs a “car wash” with a garden hose?
What used to be straightforward manufacturer instructions for cleaning and maintenance have become more complicated, with additional directives from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health departments. Skilled nursing facilities, group homes, and assisted living centers have layered on their cleaning protocols, on top of the other instructions.
As these protocols grow more complex, here are five keys to keep in mind.
1. Cleaning Is Important (But It Isn’t Disinfecting)
There’s a difference between routinely cleaning a wheelchair — e.g., removing hair from casters — and disinfecting it.
Lindsey L. Sharpe, PT, DPT, ATP, is the Regional Clinical Education Manager/Southeast for Permobil.
“Cleaning certainly can mitigate spread of infection, but also is
a part of routine maintenance, which is necessary on all seating and mobility equipment,” she said. “Regular cleaning not only keeps wheelchair and seating equipment looking nice, but it also keeps it running optimally. For example, if manual chair users do not regularly remove hair that builds up around caster bearings, casters will not spin freely, which can impact rolling resistance and the chair’s performance.
“Additionally, we recommend wiping down your manual chair and/or your power wheelchair base with a soft cloth regularly to clean off dust and dirt that can build up and negatively impact its functionality and performance.”
2. Liquids & Power Chairs Don’t Mix
A good general rule, Sharpe said, is to prevent liquids from directly contacting the wheelchair. “If you want to clean your tires, wheels, the base of your power chair, the best way is to take a cloth, put a cleaner or a sanitizer on that, and do a wipe-down,” she said. “We never want to spray liquid directly into that base, because that’s where so many of the electronics are stored, where
22 MAY-JUNE 2022 | MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
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