Support starts with the person
We do not start by guessing a brand, model or device.
We start by understanding what is hard, unsafe, painful, tiring or no longer manageable.
Ask our team whether a mobility assessment may suit your needs.
Power Mobility Device Prescription Sunshine Coast
Power mobility support that fits your body, your home and your everyday life.
Simply Engage Occupational Therapy can help with power wheelchair prescription, manual wheelchairs, mobility scooters, power-assist options, seating review, pressure care and funding reports.
We look at how you move, sit, transfer, drive, rest, access your home and get out into the community before recommending equipment.
- Power wheelchair prescription
- Manual wheelchair support
- Mobility scooter assessment
- Seating and pressure care review
Power mobility device prescription
Power mobility prescription is about matching the person, the task, the seating and the environment.
This may include a power wheelchair, manual wheelchair, mobility scooter, power-assist attachment, carer-operated power pack or adapted control system.
Some people need a simple option for community access. Others need a more detailed seating and mobility setup to support posture, pressure care, fatigue, pain, transfers and daily function.
The chair should fit the person, not the other way around.
Good seating can help with comfort, stability, posture, pressure care, fatigue and safer use of mobility equipment.
Small changes can matter. Seat depth, width, cushion type, back support, foot position, head support and controls can all affect how safe and comfortable the setup feels.
How we can help
Mobility equipment can range from simple through to highly customised. These are common areas we can support.
Support with trials, seating, controls, drive setup, power functions and written recommendations for funding where needed.
Support with chair size, frame type, cushion, backrest, wheel position, propulsion needs, transport and daily use.
Assessment for scooter suitability, safe access, transfers, storage, transport, community use and practical daily routines.
Review of comfort, posture, skin risk, pressure areas, cushions, back supports, head supports, footplates and seat setup.
Support with motorised add-ons for manual wheelchairs and carer-operated power packs to reduce physical strain.
Support with access options such as joystick changes, attendant controls, switch access or other control adaptations.
Power wheelchair support
Power wheelchairs can be more detailed than scooters because the seating, controls and powered seat functions often need to work together.
Your OT can help review your current seating or assess a new setup. This may include comfort, posture, pressure injury risk, pain, fatigue, transfer safety, driving access and how the chair will be used across the day.
- Seat width and depth
- Cushion review
- Backrest support
- Head support
- Lateral supports
- Pelvic positioning
- Footplate setup
- Joystick position
- Attendant controls
- Tilt and recline
- Seat elevation
- Indoor and outdoor access
Comfort and pressure care matter
Wheelchair seating can affect skin, posture, pain, breathing, fatigue, arm use, head control and how safely someone can drive.
We can help review what is not working and consider changes such as a different cushion, back support, seat angle, foot position, head support or control placement.
The aim is not a perfect-looking posture. The aim is a setup that is safe enough to use, steady enough to trust, comfortable enough to tolerate and practical enough to keep using.
Mobility scooters are usually less customised, but still need careful matching.
A scooter may suit someone who can transfer safely, sit with enough support, manage controls, judge risk, store the scooter and use it safely in the community.
Scooters are often used for longer community distances, shopping centres, appointments, social outings and getting around local areas.
They are not the right fit for everyone. An OT assessment can help check whether a scooter is suitable or whether another mobility option may be safer.
Mobility scooter assessment
Scooter prescription is usually less involved than a complex power wheelchair, but the decision still needs to be practical and safe.
We can consider turning space, transport, charging, storage, foot position, seat comfort, outdoor surfaces, access to local areas, transfers and how the scooter will fit into your normal routine.
- Three-wheel scooters
- Four-wheel scooters
- Community access
- Transfer safety
- Storage and charging
- Car transport
- Footpath access
- Shopping centres
- Driveway access
- Safe control use
What the process looks like
A clear process helps reduce stress and gives everyone a better understanding of why a device is being recommended.
Referral
Tell us what has become harder, unsafe, painful or too tiring.
Assessment
Your OT reviews your body, routine, transfers, home, community access and current equipment.
Trial
Where suitable, we help arrange trials and gather feedback on comfort, safety and function.
Recommendation
Your OT can request quotes, liaise with suppliers and prepare written recommendations.
Review
After setup, we can review fit, comfort, function and any changes that may be needed.
What we consider during assessment
The right device depends on more than distance. It also depends on seating, strength, fatigue, pain, skin risk, transfers, control access and where the device needs to go.
- Daily routines
- Home layout
- Door widths
- Transfers
- Skin and pressure risk
- Pain and fatigue
- Postural support
- Upper limb use
- Vision and awareness
- Cognition and judgement
- Carer support
- Transport needs
- Indoor use
- Outdoor surfaces
- Storage and charging
- Funding evidence
Already have a wheelchair or scooter?
We can review existing equipment if it is uncomfortable, hard to control, difficult to transfer from, no longer meeting your needs or causing pressure areas.
This may include checking the seat setup, cushion, back support, leg position, control position, device size, drive access or whether a replacement may need to be considered.
Sometimes a small adjustment helps. Sometimes the equipment no longer fits the person, environment or daily routine.
Funding, reports and supplier support
We can help with the practical steps that often sit around mobility equipment prescription.
This may include trial notes, supplier liaison, quotes, written recommendations and reports for funding bodies where required.
For NDIS participants, the report may need to explain the functional need, trial outcomes, why the device is suitable and how it supports safety, access, independence and participation.
We can help apply for equipment
Depending on your situation, we may assist with equipment prescription, written recommendations, supporting reports and communication with suppliers or support coordinators.
We can also help review whether the proposed setup is practical before it is ordered.
Where another professional is needed, we can work with the wider team so the recommendation is better linked together.
Who this may suit
Power mobility support may suit people who have reduced walking capacity, fatigue, pain, balance concerns, neurological conditions, physical disability, progressive conditions, pressure care needs or reduced community access.
It may also suit people who can walk short distances but cannot safely or reliably manage the distances needed for appointments, shopping, work, study, social connection or family life.
Service areas
Simply Engage OT provides occupational therapy across key Queensland service areas, with mobile visits, clinic appointments and telehealth options where suitable.
- Sunshine Coast
- Bli Bli
- Nambour
- Noosa
- Maroochydore
- Buderim
- Caloundra
- Kawana
- Caboolture
- Morayfield
- Kingaroy
- South Burnett
- Telehealth
Need help with a wheelchair, scooter or seating setup?
Send through a referral or contact our team. You do not need to know the exact product. Start with what is hard, unsafe, painful or taking too much energy.
Power mobility FAQs
Common questions before getting started.
Can an occupational therapist prescribe a power wheelchair?
Yes. An occupational therapist can assess functional needs, seating, pressure care, transfers, home access, community access and daily routines before recommending a suitable power wheelchair.
Can you help with manual wheelchairs too?
Yes. We can support manual wheelchair prescription, seating review, cushion choice, backrest support, chair sizing, propulsion needs and power-assist options where suitable.
What is the difference between a power wheelchair and a mobility scooter?
A power wheelchair usually allows more detailed seating, support and control options. A mobility scooter is often used for community distances and is usually less customised. The safest option depends on assessment.
Can you review seating if someone is uncomfortable or getting pressure sores?
Yes. We can review seating, comfort, skin risk, pressure areas, cushion type, back support, posture, foot position and whether changes may reduce the risk of further pressure problems.
Can you help with power-assist devices or carer-operated power packs?
Yes. These options may help when manual wheelchair use is tiring, painful or physically demanding for the person or carer. An OT assessment can help check whether this is suitable.
Can you help with custom controls?
Yes. Some people need changes to how they access or control a power wheelchair. This may include joystick changes, control positioning, attendant controls or other access options.
Can you provide NDIS reports for power mobility equipment?
Yes. Where funding evidence is required, we can provide written recommendations and reports that explain the functional need, trial outcomes and why the equipment is being recommended.
Do I need to know which device I want before making a referral?
No. You can start by explaining what has become harder, less safe, more painful or more tiring. Your OT can help work through the options after assessment.
Start with what is not working.
You do not need to start with a chair name, scooter model or product code. Tell us what is difficult, unsafe, uncomfortable or taking too much energy, and we can help with the next step.
