Ventilator Users:
Independent Living and Quality of Life
Nosek MA, Holmes SA. Ventilator users: Independent living
and quality of life. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of
North America 1996;7(2):445-56.
ABSTRACT
Contrary to prevailing opinion, a life of quality and independence is possible
for persons who use ventilators. Pioneers in the independent living movement,
many of whom use ventilators, paved the way for the creation of opportunities
for independence for ventilator users and others with disabilities. Every
opportunity, however, is dependent on personal, interpersonal, social,
and environmental factors. This article presents a heuristic model for
examining independent living that was derived from the philosophy underlying
the independent living movement. It also discusses research on quality
of life for persons who use mechanical ventilation and analyzes the issues
of quality of life and independent living that face this population. The
authors draw on their experiences as ventilator users and as rehabilitation
researcher and clinician, respectively.
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