Wheelchair Skills Extra | Getting around your city
3 February 2017
In 2016, we decided to change the name of Join the Dots to Wheelchair Skills Extra.
Many of you will be aware of our Join the Dots wheelchair skills sessions, which are held in town centres near many of the spinal centres in the UK. These community based sessions are an expansion of the original wheelchair skills programmes which we have been running since 2001. In these sessions, our experienced wheelchair skills trainers have given thousands of people life-enhancing confidence.
We’ve decided to change the name of these sessions to Wheelchair Skills Extra. This is to make it clear what these sessions offer and how they follow on from our sessions in spinal units, putting those skills learnt on the ward into practise in daily life.
We know that getting around as a wheelchair user can be frightening. How will I get to the shops, play with my kids or just carry a cup of tea to the living room? Wheelchair Skills Extra gives people the independence they need to get back to living their life to the full.
Held in ‘real-world’ locations outside the hospital setting, you get the chance to practise and refine your skills and build your confidence when out and about. We tackle everyday obstacles e.g. pavement and slopes and support you to overcome any worries you may have about being out in public for the first time as someone with a spinal cord injury. By the end of 2017, we aim to establish our sessions in all the spinal centres throughout the UK.
These sessions are kindly supported by Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and Gerald Simonds Healthcare. Anne Luttman-Johnson, Client Services Manager, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors commented:
‘We know first-hand what a difference Wheelchair Skills Extra makes to those about to leave their spinal injury unit into what can be a daunting world for someone using a wheelchair for the first time outside of their hospital environment. Irwin Mitchell employees volunteer at the different sessions round the country gaining so much from the experience. Not only is it fun, but they also appreciate that this versatile and practical help means a lot more to those taking part in the next part of their rehabilitation programme.’
Find out more by clicking here or contact us at outreachandsupport@backuptrust.org.uk or by telephone on 020 8875 1805
