Session Information
Session Title: AA 2021 Virtual Posters - General Rehabilitation
Session Time: None. Available on demand.
Disclosures: Hattie M. Parsley: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest
Objective: To gain insight into the mobility, navigation, and recharging needs of power mobility device (PMD) users in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, North Carolina. Data obtained from focus groups was used to inform design efforts for a system of PMD charging stations, accompanied by a navigation app and improved battery power assessment algorithm that takes ambient environmental conditions into account..
Design: Focus group discussionSetting : Online; using video conferencing service Zoom (HIPAA-compliant).Participants : 11 adult (18 years and older) participants recruited using purposive sampling.
Interventions: not applicable
Main Outcome Measures: Focus group discussion guide which generated responses and reactions that were coded to identify themes.
Results: Several important themes emerged: frustration, access, reservations, recommendations, COVID-19 related concerns, and openness to new ideas. The most prominent and recurring themes were frustration towards current mobility abilities, and recommendations for the proposed system of charging stations. Users discussed the inadequacies of current systems, including difficulties with navigation, sudden PMD death, and high costs associated with obtaining and maintaining their PMD. Furthermore, users outlined their priorities for PMD charging stations, including ideal locations throughout the community and preferred usability and accessibility features.Conclusions: Findings suggest that PMD users have many unmet mobility needs. These findings provide insight to features to be considered for the development of new PMD charging stations within the community. Development of PMD charging stations is likely to increase mobility possibilities, as well as the independence and community participation of PMD users.
Level of Evidence: Level III
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Parsley HM, Yeste KT, Filer W, Agha E, Barnhill J, Chilcoat A, Faurot K. Charging and Mobile Power Solutions: Perspectives of Power Mobility Device Users [abstract]. PM R. 2021; 13(S1)(suppl 1). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/charging-and-mobile-power-solutions-perspectives-of-power-mobility-device-users/. Accessed May 29, 2025.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2021
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/charging-and-mobile-power-solutions-perspectives-of-power-mobility-device-users/