The manual wheelchair-handling skills of caregivers and the effect of training.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that the Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) is effective in improving the wheelchair-handling skills of untrained caregivers.


METHODS
Within-participant comparisons.


METHODS
Rehabilitation center and community.


METHODS
Twenty-four caregivers of manual wheelchair users.


METHODS
Caregiver participants underwent the WSTP, version 2.4, adapted for caregivers. Training was individualized on the basis of an integrated testing-and-training protocol that took place on a single occasion (total, approximately 50 min).


METHODS
Total percentage scores on the objective Wheelchair Skills Test (WST), version 2.4, for the pretraining (N=24), posttraining (N=24), and retention (n=9) evaluations. For the skill-transfer evaluation (n=10), we used the questionnaire version (WST-Q), administered by telephone to participants after return to their communities.


RESULTS
There were no serious adverse incidents. The mean pretraining total WST score +/- standard deviation was 77.8%+/-12.0%. Posttraining, this increased to 94.7%+/-7.1% (P <.001), a 22% relative increase. At retention testing, a median latency of 7 days later, the mean value, 94.2%+/-7.1%, did not decrease significantly from the posttraining level (P =.38). At skill-transfer testing, a median latency of 179 days posttraining, the mean value, 92.5%+/-8.7%, did not decrease significantly from the posttraining level (P =.73). The greatest improvements were at the advanced skill level.


CONCLUSIONS
The WSTP is a safe, practical, and effective method of improving the wheelchair-handling skills of untrained caregivers. Skill improvements are generally well retained and transfer well to the community. Such training could play an important role in the rehabilitation process.
Kirby
R Lee
RL
Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. kirby@dal.ca
Mifflen
Naomi J
NJ
Thibault
Deborah L
DL
Smith
Cher
C
Best
Krista L
KL
Thompson
Kara J
KJ
MacLeod
Donald A
DA
D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014910:Wheelchairs