Wheelchair Provision Primary to Participation - an Occupational Justice Issue

Workshop COTEC-ENOTHE2016Wheelchair Provision Primary to Participation – an Occupational Justice IssueWorkshop Leader: Jackie Casey, Ulster University, [email protected] Jackie Casey1, Dr Rosie Gowran2, and Dr Rachael McDonald3 1 School of Occupational Therapy, Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, N.Ireland. [email protected] Department of Clinical Therapies, Faculty of Education and Health Science, University of Limerick [email protected] 3CDDHV, Department of Occupational Therapy, Centre for Development Disability Health Victoria, Notting Hill, Australia [email protected] of the Workshop:Appropriate wheelchair provision for people with mobility impairments is primary to participation as a basic human right, yet there is a dearth of international consensus in assuring individual needs are met. A wheelchair goes beyond a piece of equipment which merely assists participation; it is embodied, addressing all domains of classified function. We have a responsibility to ensure that all practicing professionals understand the occupational justice issues when ensuring sustainable wheelchair provision, through advancing education within all occupational therapy curriculums. Provision of wheelchairs is multifaceted, requiring occupational therapy and clinical reasoning processes to be challenged beyond traditional assessments and interventions. Furthermore, enablement of access goes beyond the individual and moves into advocacy at a policy level. There is need to move towards a collaborative educational approach understanding many perspectives in practice, research and industry, with wheelchair user involvement being central. In this workshop we will explore access and barriers to participation at environmental and societal levels, promoting influence of public policy to enable an inclusive society. We will also review content and effectiveness of current methods of educating students, including: o Service user involvemento Skills based workshopso Equipment demos and trialso Experiential – measurement and assessment skills; using a wheelchair; adjusting a wheelchairFinally, we will argue for a shift in emphasis to one of occupational justice supporting participation and engagement. The consequences of not moving towards this view will be examined using existing literature, and discourse with the workshop participants will provide practical take home strategies. [250wds]Maximum number of participants: 50Brief description of intended participants:This workshop will be suitable for educators involved in the design and delivery of content on wheelchairs and seating provision, therapists working in, and postgraduate students carrying research in this field.