Toyota room offers Providence patients the safety of practicing outdoor mobility in an indoor setting

By Selma Al-Samarrai

Inside the walls of Providence Healthcare is a parked SUV, patches of artificial grass and gravel, concrete sidewalks, ramps and curbs.

Robert Copeland practices inserting his walker into the trunk of the Toyota in Providence’s Toyota Canada Motor Skills Clinic. His Physiotherapist Kim Garland (centre) and Occupational Therapist Jennifer Au (left) guide him through this process in the Clinic’s simulated setting. (Photo by James Wysotski)

The Toyota Canada Motor Skills Clinic is a specially designed room where rehabilitation professionals can help their patients practice and regain their strength and mobility. Patients can get comfortable navigating on different outdoor surfaces, getting in and out of a real car —a Toyota Venza — and folding and storing walking equipment such as wheelchairs and gait aids in a vehicle.

After Robert Copeland’s below-the-knee amputation to his left leg in August 2018, he rehabilitated in Providence for two weeks, and then returned as an outpatient in November to rehabilitate with his new prosthetic leg. He used the clinic during both rehabilitation periods, first to learn how to get into the passenger seat with an amputated leg, and more recently, to learn how to get into the driver’s seat with a prosthesis.

“My rehabilitation in that room worked. I have no trouble now getting into the car, and I don’t panic if my prosthesis gets stuck as I try to climb in,” explained Copeland.

“There’s a lot of emphasis on the importance of practice. The staff at Providence are so co-operative and patient and they tell you what they consider the proper way of doing things based on your capabilities.”

The Toyota Room has proven useful to help patients recover after a stroke, orthopedic surgery, or an injury, such as a lower limb amputation,” explained Shawn Brady, director of Interprofessional Practice at Providence.

“This room provides our patients a realistic and safe environment where they feel supported and secure trying new things,” said Brady.

Dellene Sakaguchi, a physiotherapist and practice consultant for the Orthopedic and Amputee Clinic, said the room allows staff and patients to problem solve very specific issues.

“For example, we can try different methods and provide recommendations regarding how their walker is best stored and what types of adaptive equipment they need,” Sakaguchi said. “Then the client can decide for themselves what works best for them.”

This room was donated by Toyota in 2006 and is often used multiple times a day by patients and health-care practitioners.

“We often use the room to practice car transfers with patients,” explained Sarane Poon, occupational therapist and practice consultant in the Orthopedic and Amputee Clinic at Providence.

“Before the patients go home, they need to practice safely getting from their wheelchair or walker into the car, and vice versa. Caregivers are shown how to help patients with this and are taught safe body mechanics when lifting mobility devices in and out of a vehicle,” explained Poon.

“We also practice on the different surfaces so patients can become more confident in outdoor mobility or getting around in the community.”