Image: Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation / The Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation says there's an urgent need involving wheelchairs for patients with reduced mobility at Abbotsford Regional Hospital.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Wheelchair shortage at ARH

Abbotsford Regional Hospital in dire need of wheelchairs

Mar 19, 2024 | 11:43 AM

ABBOTSFORD — The Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation says there’s an urgent need involving wheelchairs for patients with reduced mobility at Abbotsford Regional Hospital.

According to a news release from the non-profit health care organization Tuesday morning (Mar. 19), the foundation reports there were 88 basic wheelchairs in circulation at Abbotsford Regional Hospital in 2008. This number has now dwindled to only 40 wheelchairs for a facility containing 400 acute care beds.

“Forty wheelchairs are simply not meeting our patient and staff needs,” occupational therapist clinical lead Nicole Koehn said. “Not having adequate wheelchairs available on the units limit staff ability to get their patients out of bed to support early mobilization and prevent deconditioning, and other hospital acquired impairments.”

Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation says 40 wheelchairs equipped with the necessary specialty equipment cost approximately $206,500.

“Quality of care is significantly impacted when a patient’s ability to leave their room to enjoy amenities such as green spaces and live music (in the atrium) are negated,” Koehn said. “We need your help to get wheelchairs back on the units at ARH. Let’s give patients the equipment they need to focus on their wellness goals while they recover in hospital.”

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Business and Fraser Valley residents are invited to support this project by contacting Dr. Lakhbir Jassal of the foundation at Lakhbir.Jassal@fraserhealth.ca.