Traditionally, the designs of living and work spaces have been based on the assumption that a person is completing an activity while
standing,
e.g. kitchen worktops and ovens, bathroom sinks, cupboards, door handles and light switches.
Typical living and workspaces can be inaccessible to individuals with disabilities, who often function from the seated height of a wheelchair.
Clinical Recommendations
Wheelchair users typically require home modifications which can be expensive. When considering a power standing wheelchair, it is worth considering cost implications as well as the long-term health and functional benefits of a power standing wheelchair compared to home modifications.
Power Standing Wheelchairs
Multiple studies have shown that power standing can be beneficial to participation in multiple settings and environments, including at home, at work and in social and educational settings.
Beneficial at work, for social participation and for participation in physical activities Gholke & Kenyon 2022
Power standing is helpful for teaching and ceremonial activities at school, and faster toileting means less time missed from class Vorster et al. 2019
User Benefits
Power standing may allow an individual to access a wider range of unmodified spaces. Users could benefit in a variety of unmodified community settings to enhance their independence, improve vocational opportunities and enable recreational activities.
1. Improved participation
Research shows benefits at home, at work, at school and in social settings, enabling the user to participate in group activities
2. Increased satisfaction
Individuals increased their satisfaction with meaningful self-identified participation outcomes in daily life Field et al. 2022
