The number of nursing home residents in the United States is projected to reach three million by the year 2030. Currently, over 80% of residents spend time sitting in a wheelchair every day. Many of these residents are overlooked for therapeutic treatment because they are perceived as being too physically disabled and/or without rehabilitation potential. Furthermore, use of wheelchairs is associated with many types of adverse outcomes and injuries, including deconditioning, pressure ulcers, skin tears, bruises, edema, nerve impingement, falls, discomfort, contractures, loss of independence and autonomy, social isolation, and decreased quality of life. There is increasing concern that wheelchairs are being overused in nursing homes. This growing trend can be curtailed by the development and implementation of a program to assess mobility, encourage ambulation, and restrict unnecessary wheelchair use. This paper examines ways to prevent the overuse of wheelchairs in long term facilities:

Prevention of Overuse of Wheelchairs in Nursing Homes