Persons requesting wheelchairs and other mobility aids such as walkers and canes, can now receive these free of cost following assessment at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre.
Latter Day Saints Charities (LDSC), of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, concluded a five-day Wheelchair and Assistive Device Prescription Training Programmed on Friday, July 21, 2023, in collaboration with the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, and Disability & Rehabilitation Services, Ministry of Health.
Fifteen persons comprising occupational therapists, physical therapists, rehabilitation assistants, social workers, administrative, and other supporting staff received training in such aspects as clinical assessment for wheelchair prescription, identifying the appropriate wheelchair based on a patient’s medical condition and living environs, and wheelchair assembly and repair. Wheelchairs available for distribution include Standard, Active, and All-Terrain.
All wheelchairs and mobility aids provided by the LDSC will be distributed free of cost for people meeting the requirements of the full assessment. Recipients will also be monitored to ensure that the prescribed mobility meets their needs effectively.
This is the fourth Wheelchair Training Programmed facilitated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has supported the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre for the past 20 years, through the provision of wheelchairs, the donation of machinery and equipment for use in prosthetic & orthotic manufacturing and through programs to provide financial assistance for a person in need of prostheses. The LDSC conducted a three-day virtual training program in February 2022 due to COVID-19. This year’s in-person training was further developed by having a “Train the Trainers” course which enables local rehabilitation personnel to be certified to teach Wheelchair & Assistive Device prescriptions to others in the field.
Persons in need of wheelchairs can make contact with the PRRC to schedule an assessment. Arrangements will also be made to facilitate the distribution of wheelchairs to people residing outside of Georgetown.