%0 Journal Article
%T Barriers and Facilitators to Community Mobility for Assistive Technology Users
%A Natasha Layton
%J Rehabilitation Research and Practice
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/454195
%X Mobility is frequently described in terms of individual body function and structures however contemporary views of disability also recognise the role of environment in creating disability. Aim. To identify consumer perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators to optimal mobility for a heterogeneous population of impaired Victorians who use assistive technology in their daily lives. Method. An accessible survey investigated the impact of supports or facilitators upon actual and desired life outcomes and health-related quality of life, from 100£żAT users in Victoria, Australia. This paper reports upon data pertaining to community mobility. Results. A range of barriers and enablers to community mobility were identified including access to AT devices, environmental interventions, public transport, and inclusive community environs. Substantial levels of unmet need result in limited personal mobility and community participation. Outcomes fall short of many principles enshrined in current policy and human rights frameworks. Conclusion. AT devices as well as accessible and inclusive home and community environs are essential to maximizing mobility for many. Given the impact of the environment upon the capacity of individuals to realise community mobility, this raises the question as to whether rehabilitation practitioners, as well as prescribing AT devices, should work to build accessible communities via systemic advocacy. 1. Introduction Getting around at the home and in the community is a core activity, central to much human participation and therefore of key interest to rehabilitation practitioners. Identifying the constraints and supports which consumers perceive as impacting their current and desired life outcomes will both inform the work of rehabilitation practitioners and identify any barriers usually beyond the gaze of rehabilitation practice [1]. 1.1. Mobility Mobility, defined by the Oxford Dictionary of English [2] as the capacity to move, is a core element of human capacity. Independent mobility, preferably without the need for assistive technology (AT), is viewed as a key outcome measure, alongside communication and self-care, in the rehabilitation literature [3]. Health-related quality-of-life measures also regard the capacity to independently mobilize as a key indicator for quality of life [4, 5]. The extent of mobility will depend upon both the capacity of the person and the nature of the environments in which the person operates. A tension exists in considering the relationship between the person and the environment in which mobility takes
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/rerp/2012/454195/