Redford J B
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1993 Aug;74(8):877-85. doi: 10.1016/0003-9993(93)90016-4.
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.
老年人是经常使用轮椅的人群中数量最多的。这是一篇对少数专门针对老年人座椅研究的综述；它指出了当前存在的问题，特别是在长期护理机构中老年人的座椅方面。这篇综述描述了如何使现有的座椅技术与残疾老年人的需求相匹配。更广泛地使用新型座椅技术存在两个主要障碍：（1）耐用医疗设备成本高昂；（2）大多数临床医生和机构管理人员未能认识到姿势和舒适度对轮椅使用者实现功能独立的重要性。这篇综述讨论了四类老年人的座椅情况：（1）无行动能力、需要照料的人，他们可能存在安全风险，且没有精力或能力自行推动轮椅或行走；（2）可移动但不能行走的人；（3）能行走，但有特殊轮椅需求。在多个领域的轮式移动方面都需要进行研究：使移动性与功能更好地匹配、更便宜且更有效的靠垫、更模块化的座椅系统，以及更好的升降和转移设备。美国国家标准学会与北美康复工程学会合作，最近推荐了轮椅性能标准，这些标准可能在未来几年内立法实施。
