Abstract
This book is for occupational therapists helping clients—wheelchair users—engage in meaningful occupation in environments, as the author defines skill in a wheelchair as a means to an end. Skills reviewed include manoeuvring around the home and nearby but not in domains such as transportation or sporting. The North American content describes wheelchair types, features, and environments. The evolution of the program from skills test to training manual became apparent to the author when wheelchair users did not know the basic wheelchair skills being tested. The program is evidence based and covers the duality of skills of wheelchair user and caregiver. “Wheelchairs” include manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, and scooters.
The book introduces the wheelchair skills program and the assessment of wheelchair skills with a user test and questionnaire. It covers training, safety issues, and, quite thoroughly, individual wheelchair skills. Games, suggested readings, lesson plans, outlines for group training, and verbal scripts are included. The skills that are tested and taught range from moving forward and backward in a straight line to going up and down a short flight of stairs with a rail.
Readers must download materials from a website to use the assessments and training forms. They are not replicable from the book by permission, notwithstanding its small size. Poor-quality black-and-white photographs are used; although likely taken for other purposes, readers miss an opportunity to understand more. While wheelchair skills videos exist online, this book provides a thorough written guide to assessment and training.
I selected to review this book because I worked in a specialty seating clinic for 18 months almost two decades ago that prompted a long-standing interest in seating and wheeled mobility throughout my career. This book made me realize, despite my curiosity, that the scope of my wheelchair skills evaluations with past clients, let alone their skills training, has been lacking!