ABSTRACT
In the early stages of a disease process, adaptive equipment may not be necessary to accomplish personal mobility; however, with an advancing disease process or aging, physical mobility often becomes more challenging or unsafe. This may result in an increased risk of falls or injury to the patient, caregivers, or healthcare providers. The concept of safe patient handling and mobility is the judicious use of policies, decision-making algorithms, and specialized equipment to reduce the risk of injury or falls to those with mobility impairments. As limited mobility and being a burden on others is often a core concern of individuals with a life-threatening illness, preserving or optimizing safe mobility can also improve quality of life and reduce unwarranted readmissions. Finally, remaining mobile and active is often a key goal of these individuals in not just being alive, but living for the time that they have remaining. This chapter discusses the use and application of a variety of safe patient handling and mobility devices and mobility options that can be used by the interdisciplinary team to assist in safe personal mobility.
