MAO Manual

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Electric Scooters
These devices are gaining popularity,
especially with people who live
independently. It provides them a way to get
around with little to no assistance from
family or friends or the MAVO. Most patients
who have their own scooters can be very
partial to them. Patients may want to be
transported in the electric scooter to their
destination.
The electric scooter should never be used
for transportation. It is not designed for MAV
use. The scooter is top heavy and is not
structurally sound enough to be used as a
seat in the vehicle. You must transfer your
patient into your standard wheelchair, load
him/her into the front position of your van
Walkers
Walkers provide patients with major balance
disturbances with a platform that they can
place down, walk towards, and replace in
another position to repeat the process. A
patient with a walker should be expected to
move slowly, and be very unsteady on his or
her feet.
then load and secure the scooter into the
rear position of the van. If the scooter cannot
be secured using four point tie-downs, do
not take the scooter with you in the MAV
since it will not be crashworthy.
When you get to your destination, unload
both the scooter and your patient, transfer
your patient back to their scooter and allow
them to be on their way. The point is, it is
possible for the scooter to be four-point
secured but it is not safe for the patient to be
on it during transport.
Wheelchairs
There are many types of wheelchairs. The
MAVO will come across the standard
wheelchair most often as it is the most
common. The standard wheelchair has two
large wheels at the back with hand rims and
two smaller caster wheels in front. There will
be brakes on both sides, foot plates, leg rests,
arm rests, crossbar, tilt bars, backrest,
handles and, of course, a seat. There are also
some variations to the standard wheelchair
that are still acceptable for transport, such as
leg rests that elevate or that are removable,
removable arm rests, and the absence of
hand rims.
Box 3-1: WHEELCHAIRS
Wheelchairs are the most common form of
mobility device an MAO will see in practice.
Become familiar with wheelchairs before
starting to work as an MAVO.