The Need for and Feasibility of Wheelchair Skills Training in Long-term Care Experiences of 4 Manual Wheelchair-Using Veterans

To evaluate, in the long-term-care setting, the need for and feasibility of the Wheelchair Skills Training Program with respect to manual wheelchair users, we studied 4 veterans, each completing the Wheelchair Skills Test (modified version 4.1). These participants had significant difficulties attempting wheelchair skills but made improvements and showed enthusiasm, problem-solving, and pride in attempting the skills. All 4 wheelchairs had component or setup issues that restricted optimal self-propulsion. Regardless of the challenges, all participants were interested in receiving training on wheelchair skills. If these findings are representative, further research is required to implement an appropriate wheelchair-provision process in the long-term-care setting.