[Answered]: A COTA who works in an independent living facility…

A COTA who works in an independent living facility is walking to a convenience store during a scheduled lunch break and encounters a resident of the facility who is asking for help.The resident uses a power wheelchair for mobility and has veered off a paved sidewalk and one wheel of the wheelchair is stuck in the mud. What action should the COTA take FIRST in this situation? Call for assistance from an ambulance service or police department using a non-emergency phone number. Ask the resident permission to use the driving controls on the wheelchair to reposition the chair on the sidewalk. Ensure the safety of the resident and return to the facility to request assistance from an interprofessional team member.