Going the distance: Why Power Wheelchair inner workings make a difference + Standing Wheelchairs: From Evidence to Trial (Melbourne)

Join us for a full day of interactive power wheelchair learning. The days session is not your common power wheelchair education. In this session the Permobil Clinical Services Team will break down the inner workings of power wheelchairs, uncovering the key components under a shroud and how the impact users functionally. Ensuring that you don’t over or under prescribe equipment can be difficult at times. Appropriate prescription of power wheelchairs can often be complex, especially as many of the key features can be hidden under the shroud or within the electronics. In this session we will uncover what is actually under the shroud of a power wheelchair and how these features impact users in a functional way. We will break down and discuss suspension, motors, electronics, actuators and programming in detail.

After breaking down the inner workings of a power wheelchair, the team will dive into standing power wheelchairs. This session is designed to increase your confidence and knowledge on all things standing power wheelchairs and the prescription process. Standing as a therapy intervention has been broadly recognised as an effective method providing clinical outcomes and improvement of functions. Power standing wheelchairs offer great means for extending these outcomes to the home and community situation, adding additional functional and psycho-social benefits. During this session, we will begin with a look at the results from Permobil’s systematic review of the standing literature. Once we understand the evidence, we will discuss how to determine readiness for your client and how to have a successful trial.

Join both the Permobil and GTK teams for a day of interactive learning.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the main components of a power wheelchair under the shroud

2. Understand how suspension functionally impacts a wheelchair user

3. Understand how motor size impacts the daily function of a wheelchair user

4. Know the difference between smart and basic actuators

5. Describe three evidence supported ways that standing can benefit an end-user

6. List four considerations to determine readiness for standing

7. Explain the importance of the trial process for a standing power wheelchair

Meet the Presenter: Ben Gommers (Permobil)

Ben is a Clinical Services Specialist at Permobil Asia Pacific, based in Melbourne Australia. With his background as a Physiotherapist, he has extensive experience with Assistive Technology. Before joining Permobil, Ben worked within cerebral palsy community centres, specialist schools, and most recently, as an Assistive Technology Consultant.

Throughout his career, Ben has dedicated himself to complex seating and postural management. He is deeply committed to enhancing the comfort, function, independence, and quality of life for his clients through client-centred and evidence-based practices. Ben loves thinking creatively and finding innovative ways to apply assistive technology to achieve successful outcomes. When Ben is not at work you will find him either working in the garden, hanging out with friends, on the golf course or watching the AFL.