The Fundamentals of Evidence-based Wheelchair Training for International Contexts
Wheelchairs are donated to individuals all around the world, but there is a significant lack of wheelchair education for donation recipients. This leads to donation wheelchairs not be used properly or not being used at all. This project sought to help close this gap for Friends of Kardelen, a non-profit organization in Turkey. Friends of Kardelen supports and cares for children with disabilities and their families and seeks to provide wheelchairs when a need is presented. To learn more about the planning and goals of this project, as well as my professional interests read the project proposal.
A video script with a low-literacy level was developed for the purpose of creating an wheelchair educational video in the future that will be used by Friends of Kardelen. It was developed in English and will be translated to Turkish.
Enjoy the Video Script
An evidence-based Master Document was created to correspond with the video script. It is more detailed and includes all the background research and supporting evidence. This would be an excellent resource for a therapist to reference when educating new or old wheelchair users.
Enjoy the Master Document
The video script will be reviewed by therapists, wheelchair vendors, people who use wheelchairs, and parents of children that use wheelchairs prior to the development of a video. This evaluation will be used.
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Supplemental research was performed comparing the effectiveness of adaptive seating with standard seating in improving function for children with developmental disabilities. This research was performed to support the above educational materials because often times families in developing countries will want to use a standard (sling) seat wheelchair and do not understand the long-term risk. This research highlights the current evidence on the benefits of adaptive seating for improving function in children with developmental disabilities.
Enjoy the Research Paper and Evidence Table
THANK YOU to my advisor, Laurie, and my committee members Zach and Susan!
AND thank you for visiting!Â
One Response to “The Fundamentals of Evidence-based Wheelchair Training for International Contexts”
gchristi
Jennifer,
I was quite impressed with your work. Your thoughts were easily conveyed through proper utilization of visuals, examples, and simple sentences. I especially liked how you were sensitive to the Turkish culture when developing your product. You are right, this information can be used to educate new and old wheelchair users. Education regarding proper use and maintenance of wheelchairs are important information to provide to wheelchair users and their families. Providing such information can maximize function and prevent the development of secondary complications such as pressure ulcers, malalignments, and contractures. Great Job!