Dennis's attempt at independence

When the power chair doesn't run correctly, or if the resident becomes menacing with it, should it be taken away? I'm not sure anybody knows the answer to that question, for sure. But I do have some information from what has occurred at this facility.

Dennis was a resident here for a few years who could not motivate a manual chair at all. When he was more verbal, he told me all the time that he wanted a power wheelchair like mine. I told Dennis I did not know if he could operate it. I thought Dennis could not motivate a manual chair due to neurological problems. I sensed those neurological problems would not allow him to use a power wheelchair. Dennis was also over sixty when he was asking for a power wheelchair.

I never thought therapy would seriously consider getting him one, but I never told him that. Then, one day the vendor delivered a power chair for Dennis. I wondered if they allowed him to test drive one. I remembered working with a client of the disability agency (where I worked) in the 80s. She was quadriplegic and wanted a power chair. No one knew if she could operate it properly. I suggested the vendor put her in one and let her try it out at a gymnasium somewhere. I thought that large area would give them and her an idea if she could run it adequately and safely. Unfortunately, I never got to see what happened with her because I was separated from that job not long after.

But here, Dennis had a tough time running the power chair. He struggled so with it in the hallway. I knew the chair was quite fast and that it took some coordination to use its joystick. Most of the time Dennis was trying very hard to use the joystick to get that chair to crawl up or down the hallway or into or out of the dining room. I actually think the aides ran the chair more than he did. They pushed the joystick to move him along.

In a sense Dennis never felt the joy or freedom of using a power chair. I know he was not confident in it. I could see the struggle on his face when he tried to use the joystick. I was very careful around him because I know how quickly power chairs can move.

Dennis had the chair maybe a couple of months. Sometimes he ran into doorways. Then, one day he got too close to the small wall drinking fountain, the chair went forward and knocked it off the wall. Previously, his collisions were minor. But after the drinking fountain incident, the power chair was taken away..

Dennis was back in his manual chair and had to wait to be pushed everywhere.

I think Dennis got a chair for several reasons. The power chair was more comfortable. It could be tilted and reclined so he could rest in it without getting into bed. I guess therapy thought they saw potential freedom and independence for Dennis and less work for the aides. However, in the end he could not use it.