A thick flat cushion that fits over a person’s lap and under the armrests of a wheelchair. This device helps to keep the person properly positioned in the wheelchair and provides a surface to support reading materials and other items. A person with normal cognitive abilities and moderate physical coordination can easily remove the device, which may or may not have notches to help hold it in place. However, for a person with impaired function or motor skills the lap buddy serves as a light restraint to keep him or her from getting out of the wheelchair unassisted, as a means of reducing the risk of injury from falls. Many states regulate the use of restraints of any kind, including devices that have other uses such as the lap buddy, in long-term care facilities, as do credentialing organizations.