Access Community Therapists Presents

Wheelchair Seating and Positioning: Advanced Applications

A woman in a red outfit smiles while using a powered wheelchair on a wooden pier extending over the water, with blue sky and distant hills in the background.
  • Oct 15 & 16, 2026 · Thu & Fri

  • Thu, Oct 15 · 8:30 am–4:30 pm

  • Fri, Oct 16 · 8:30 am–4:30 pm

  • Post-workshop social on Friday
    Oct 16 · 4:30–6:30 pm at the venue

The workshop builds on the pre-requisite “Wheelchair Seating and Positioning: Practical Applications” to explore concepts in complex seating and mobility. This course will review the seating clinical process and build on this foundational knowledge, exploring complex seating intervention through a mix of presentation, case studies, and hands-on experiential learning with clients and vendors in small breakout groups.

Registration is opening soon!

Hosted By:

Presented By:

Workshop Agenda

  • Biomechanical theory for accommodation and reduction of postural deformity
  • Techniques to manage spasticity and tone in seated wheelchair position
  • When to consider custom seating interventions and review of customizable commercial and custom techniques and products
  • Dynamic components and when to consider/justify use
  • Body orientation in space, including center of gravity and lateral tilt
  • Considerations for rigid manual wheelchair configuration
  • Question & Answer session to address seating challenges facing participants

What’s Included

  • Light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments
  • Electronic copies of slides & reference list

Meet Your Presenters

  • Lindsay Alford is a woman with curly brown hair and fair skin. She is wearing a light brown top and two necklaces, one with a gold pendant.

    Lindsay Alford, OT

    Lindsay graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy in 1998. After a year of casual work on various programs at Vancouver General Hospital, she became employed at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre where she worked for 26 years on the Inpatient and Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury Programs, Seating Services Program, SCI Wound Clinic, Upper Extremity Clinic, and Spasticity Clinic. During this time Lindsay developed expertise in SCI rehabilitation, complex seating and mobility, and pressure injury management and prevention.

    Lindsay worked part-time in a medical-legal and community capacity for 8 years, completing Cost of Future Care assessments and reports, and was qualified as an expert witness in OT in the Supreme Court of BC.

    In 2011, Lindsay joined the Access team, primarily working on the Wound Program, assessing and treating clients with SCI in the Lower Mainland and throughout BC to treat and prevent pressure injuries. Lindsay also works on other contracts, primarily specializing in complex wheelchair seating and mobility with clients with a range of diagnoses throughout the province.

    Lindsay enjoys sharing her passion and expertise by developing and instructing workshops for OTs/PTs on topics of wheelchair seating and mobility and pressure management. She has presented multiple times at seating conferences, has written work published, and is a Clinical Instructor at UBC.
    In 2025 Lindsay moved to Access full time, joined the Management team of the Wound Program and became a Director of Access.

    Lindsay loves gardening, traveling with family and friends, and spending as much time as possible in the forests, mountains, and beaches of BC.

  • Danielle Rae is a woman with wavy brown hair. She is wearing a dark blouse and a thin necklace.

    Danielle Rae, OT

    Danielle graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Master of Occupational Therapy program in 2012 and also holds a Bachelor of Education from Simon Fraser University. During her undergraduate studies, Danielle worked in group homes supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, where her interest in complex wheelchair seating and assistive technology first sparked. She went on to teach high school math and sciences for several years, but ultimately felt called to pursue her passion for seating and mobility. Danielle returned to complete her OT degree and began knocking on the door of Access Community Therapists before she had even graduated, knowing it was here that she would be able to learn and practice seating. After obtaining the recommended experience in long term care, spinal cord injury, spasticity management, wound care, and community rehab, Danielle joined Access is 2016, specializing in complex wheelchair seating and mobility. She serves clients throughout BC and the Yukon, providing direct client care, as well as education and mentorship to referring clinicians. Danielle joined the Seating Management team in 2021 and became a Director of Access in 2023.

    Danielle leverages her background in education and her natural teaching abilities to inspire and equip clinicians in her favourite area of practice: complex seating and mobility. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC where she teaches in the Assistive Technology Seating modules. She develops and delivers seating workshops and oversees the broader education initiatives at Access. Danielle has contributed to a textbook chapter on seating and wheeled mobility, and has presented at multiple conferences including the International Seating Symposium.

    It seems most things in Danielle’s life involve wheels. When not working with wheelchairs, she can be found rolling skating around the Stanley Park Sea Wall with her dog Sadie, staring into a spinning bowl on a pottery wheel, or driving her two daughters to soccer practice.

What People Are Saying About the Workshop

One of the best courses I have been to – thank you! – Vernon 2023

This course was awesome! It helped boost my confidence in skills/growth moving forward. I also really appreciated you allowed opportunities to collab with other OTs. I don’t get this often. – Vernon 2023

The breakout stations were easily the most useful part of the workshop, particularly case studies and hands on with clients. – Vernon 2023

Educators discussion/presentations was excellent! So thorough, very valuable. Seeing, touching, trying products was also very beneficial – Burnaby 2024

Very helpful in filling in some gaps of knowledge! Highly recommend any and all OTs take this course ! – Burnaby 2023