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When occupational therapists and mobility specialists work together, the results can be life-changing. For people living with mobility challenges, the right equipment can mean the difference between isolation and full participation in daily life. Through collaborative assessments and tailored recommendations, eFOLDi is supporting occupational therapists (OTs) in providing solutions that enable independence, dignity, and long-term wellbeing.
Working in Step with OTs
Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to understand the real-world impact of mobility barriers. Their expertise goes far beyond selecting a piece of equipment, it involves considering the whole person: their physical abilities, energy levels, daily environment, and personal goals.
eFOLDi recognises that OTs lead this process and positions its role as providing insight, product knowledge, and practical support to help identify the most suitable solution for each client. This collaborative approach ensures mobility recommendations are clinically robust, tailored to the individual, and aligned with the client’s lifestyle and aspirations.
A Partnership Approach
The company offers free joint assessments, where an OT and eFOLDi specialist visit the client together to evaluate their needs. These sessions enable therapists to observe the equipment in use, trial adaptations, and confirm suitability before any recommendation is made.
Adaptability is central to this process. Adjustments such as relocating controls for a client with tremors, removing armrests for easier transfers, or tailoring seating for comfort can make a significant difference. Working alongside OTs allows eFOLDi to ensure the final set-up reflects the client’s functional needs, environment, and lifestyle, rather than expecting them to adapt to a standard model.
Clinical Evidence and Best Practice
Decisions to prescribe or recommend mobility equipment are based on evidence and best practice guidelines. The eFOLDi Lite and Navigator are designed with features that address common clinical goals:
- Fatigue management: reducing overexertion for people with conditions such as MS, COPD, or arthritis.
- Falls prevention: offering safe, seated mobility for longer distances or unstable terrain.
- Maintaining participation: enabling continued engagement with community, work, and family.
- Preventing deconditioning: supporting intermittent walking alongside powered mobility to preserve muscle strength.
These principles align with the Care Act 2014, RCOT Professional Standards, and NICE guidance on mobility and independence support. They also reflect a preventative approach, keeping people active and engaged for longer to reduce the likelihood of functional decline and associated care needs.
Real-World Impact
OT-led provision of lightweight, portable mobility equipment can have transformative effects. Clients who previously relied on carers for every outing are often able to travel independently to healthcare appointments, meet friends, or access shops and services. This independence not only boosts confidence and emotional wellbeing, it can also reduce the practical and financial pressures on health and social care services, from cutting the need for non-emergency patient transport to reducing reliance on domiciliary care.
Feedback from OTs highlights that the portability and adaptability of folding scooters and powerchairs means they fit more seamlessly into daily routines. They can be stored in small spaces, lifted into standard car boots, and used in both tight indoor environments and busy outdoor settings, thus enabling a wider range of activities and removing barriers to participation.
Supporting a Holistic Approach
A key strength of the collaboration between OTs and eFOLDi is that it supports a truly holistic approach to mobility. The focus is not solely on physical capability, but on the individual’s lifestyle, environment, and aspirations. For some clients, the priority is the ability to travel by car, rail, or air without complicated logistics. Others value a design that feels less ‘clinical’ and more in keeping with their self-image. The joint assessment process ensures these preferences are factored into the final recommendation.
By viewing equipment as part of a broader strategy which may also include pacing, graded activity, and energy conservation techniques, OTs can help clients maintain physical health while maximising participation in daily life.
Measurable Benefits for Clients and Services
Providing the right mobility solution can lead to benefits that go beyond the individual user:
- Reduced reliance on carers for community access.
- Lower transport costs through independent travel.
- Avoidance of costly home adaptations in some cases.
- Improved psychosocial outcomes, including confidence, autonomy, and reduced isolation.
From a commissioning perspective, these outcomes align with prevention and early-intervention priorities, delivering both quality-of-life improvements and long-term cost savings.
Celebrating Excellence Through Collaboration
Excellence in healthcare is not solely about clinical expertise, it is also about collaboration, listening, and adapting solutions to meet real-world needs. The partnership between occupational therapists and eFOLDi demonstrates how mobility provision can be both clinically robust and personally empowering.
By working together from assessment through to delivery, OTs and mobility specialists can ensure that every recommendation supports not just movement, but meaningful participation in life.
