Powering Participation: Power Add-Ons for Real-World Mobility
About this Event
This full-day workshop supports clinicians to build confidence in understanding, trialling and clinically reasoning through power add-on options for manual wheelchair users. Combining clinical education, product awareness and case-based learning, the day will help participants connect technology features with client goals, functional capacity, environments, transport needs, safety considerations and long-term participation outcomes.
The clinical session will explore key assessment and prescription considerations, including timing of introduction, propulsion demands, fatigue, upper limb preservation, cognition, risk, training needs and real-world use. The product awareness component will provide hands-on exposure to a range of power add-on solutions available through Astris PME, with presenters highlighting key features, applications, set-up considerations and practical differences between systems
Participants will then apply their learning through small-group case-based activities, comparing options against client goals and contextual constraints before justifying a recommended approach. A debrief will consolidate learning, highlight common reasoning traps, and support clinicians to translate product knowledge into defensible, person-centred assistive technology recommendations.
This workshop is pitched at an intermediate level and is suitable for clinicians building or extending their knowledge of manual wheelchair assessment, posture, upper limb function and wheeled mobility. Familiarity with power add-ons or powered mobility is helpful, but not essential.
Behavioural Learning Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Recognise clinical and functional indicators for power add-on consideration.
- Compare key power add-on categories and product features across the Astris PME range.
- Apply clinical reasoning to match power add-on options with client goals, environments and real-world mobility needs.
- Justify trial planning and implementation considerations to support safe, person-centred outcomes.
SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTERS
Bianca Brady is an Occupational Therapist and Head of Clinical Education at APEX Mobility.
Bianca has a background in physical rehabilitation, specialising in neurological conditions and challenges affecting daily life. She has worked with NSW Health and in community settings, supporting people to achieve their goals.
Bianca brings 15 years of experience tailoring solutions to individual needs and a passion for education. She focuses on seating and wheeled mobility, advocating for assistive technology to enhance independence while fostering growth and learning opportunities for therapists and colleagues.
Benji’s career began in the UK in 2007, where he discovered a passion for helping others through innovative wheelchair and seating solutions. In 2014, he brought that passion to Australia, where he began working closely with Occupational Therapists across Queensland. He has specialised in scripting complex manual and powered wheelchairs, seating systems, and a range of rehabilitation equipment — helping clients achieve independence and improved quality of life through tailored mobility solutions.
Today, Benji applies the skills and knowledge he has gained over the years to provide national dealer support for the APEX Mobility network, ensuring high-quality service and product outcomes across Australia.
Simon Sheargold is a National Product Specialist at müve tech.
Simon is an experienced Business Development Manager with a strong background in Assistive Technology. He is skilled in technical support, sales management, product training, product development, and engineering, combining practical expertise with strategic insight to deliver solutions that meet client needs and drive business growth in the AT sector.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
AUD 0.00
