Seating and wheeled mobility in the disabled elderly population

Elderly persons constitute the largest among the populations regularly using wheelchairs. This is a review of the few studies specifically concerned with seating for the elderly; it identifies current problems, particularly in the seating for aged people who are in long-term care facilities. This review describes ways of matching currently available seating technology with the needs of disabled elderly persons. Two major barriers to greater use of newer seating technology are (1) the high cost of durable medical equipment and (2) the failure of most clinicians and institutional administrators to recognize the importance of posture and comfort to provide functional independence in wheelchair users. This review discusses seating for four groups of elderly persons: (1) the nonmobile, dependents who may be safety risks and are without energy or ability to wheel or walk by themselves; (2) mobile nonambulatory; and (3) ambulatory, but with special wheelchair needs. Research is needed in wheeled mobility in a number of areas: better matching of mobility to function, cheaper and more effective cushions, more modular seating systems, and better lifting and transfer devices. The American National Standards Institute in cooperation with Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America has recently recommended standards for wheelchair performance that may be legislated in the next few years.