Recently four of our Physiotherapists – Gabby, Nicole, Damian, and Jordan – attended Wheelchair Skills Therapist Sessions offered by Wheelchair Skills Australia. Wild West Wheelchairs were kind enough to offer a range of wheelchairs and their space to run these sessions.
Wheelchair Skills Australia is a recently established organisation made up of wheelchair specialists and professional therapists who offer people with disabilities the tools and training to become more independent in their daily lives and participate in the community. The services the group is offering was recently covered by the ABC and is a great read!
The group, consisting of KJ van der Klooster, Peter Kerkhof, and Jack O’Keeffe, carries a breadth of experience and perspective. KJ and Jack are both people who live with disability and are wheelchair users who take part in adaptive sports. Peter is an engineer with years of experience fitting, repairing, maintaining, and using wheelchairs. This combination of lived experience, advanced skills, and knowledge of movement enables the team to deliver a high quality of wheelchair skills training.
During our visits, the team received a refresher on their wheelchair skills and explored more about the biomechanics involved in popping a wheelie, rolling up a curb, and navigating tight spaces. We got to experience how others deliver wheelchair skills, including how to deliver wheelchair skills from a chair rather than standing behind someone’s chair, making the experience more personal and effective.
In addition to running Therapist Sessions, Wheelchair Skills Australia offered skills sessions for people with disability as well as training new members of their team. We’re excited to see more from Wheelchair Skills Australia and the peer led learning opportunities they can offer people in the future to optimise their wheelchair skills.
If you’re looking to improve your wheelchair skills, the ActiveLINC Physiotherapy Team also provide wheelchair skills training. You can get in touch with your support coordinator or key therapist to explore all the options available to you.
