Can the new TEK Robotic Mobilization Device replace the wheelchair and make life more accessible for those with spinal cord injuries?
The following from WIMP.com shows how this amazing new technology can improve the lives of those with SCI and redefines mobility.
I have always had dogs. We had two when I was a kid, and when they died, we had two more. When I moved to University I bought myself a Golden Retriever and two years later purchased another one. When they passed away we adopted another Golden, and this December brought home a Golden puppy (Timber – photo above) to join our family. I will say I am totally in love with this breed, and really with dogs in general (we have an adopted cat too but after owning a cat I can officially say I am a dog person).
Yes dogs are hairy, poop in your yard (lots), lick themselves, have eye goop, and occasionally have accidents or barf in the house. They can chew stuff too, are expensive to feed and even more expensive to train, groom and keep healthy. So, why bother? Because animals are amazing for your health, and are becoming more and more recognized as being able to offer therapeutic and functional benefit.
According to Web-MD the health benefits of owning animals are immense. People that own animals tend to have lower blood pressure, less anxiety and depression, better immunity, and less allergies. Animals in the home are proven to reduce angry outbursts by people with Dementia, prolong the lifespan of seniors, heart-attack patients fare better in their recovery, and dog owners walk an estimated 68% more than the general public.
Then, there are service or guide dogs. These dogs are professionally trained at a young age to assist persons with disabilities. While service dogs initially began helping the visually impaired, training programs now exist to teach service dogs to assist persons with a variety of conditions including hearing impairments, seizures, physical disability, autism and diabetes. For example, guide dogs can be taught to distinguish sounds, make physical contact with their handlers, and lead them to the source of noise; be it someone at the door, an alarm clock, crying baby, or a ringing telephone. Guide dogs who assist their handlers with a physical disability retrieve objects, flick switches, open and close appliances, and doors. They are also trained to bark or activate an alert system when help is needed. They can warn of an oncoming seizure, and some are even trained to protect victims of violence from a perpetrator. Together guide and service dogs can increase someone’s level of independence, safety, security, and reduce the impact of disability on a daily basis.
It is important to highlight, however, that service dogs are not just pets – these are working animals, highly trained that need to be 100% attentive to their owner at all times. Distractions can lead to mistakes, and this can harm the dog and handler. This is why people and children are told to not pet service dogs however tempting that may be. Ultimately, service dogs should be treated by the public as an assistive device – there to help maximize safety and function, but not to be tampered with.
While the cost to raise and train a puppy to be a future service dog is about $25,000, the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, and Canadian Dog Guides for the Blind, provide guide these for those in need at no cost. As part of the process, they match the person to their dog, provide training for the handler, including supply of the appropriate equipment, such as the guide dog’s identification harness or collar.
Beyond the health benefits of pet ownership, Occupational Therapists recognize that guide dogs can play a key role in supporting a handlers’ ability to be more independent, mobile in the community, and safe both indoors and out. For more information about guide dog programs, talk to your occupational therapist, or visit the Lions Foundation website at http://www.dogguides.com/programs.html or the Canadian Dog Guides for the Blind website at http://www.guidedogs.ca/index2.php.
It can’t be touched, but can be felt.
It can’t be opened, but can be gone into.
Those who seek it always find it under something,
yet it moves from place to place.
Shade.
February is Heart Month and the recipes featured this month focus on providing simple, easy to prepare heart healthy meals.
A large amount of sodium, or salt, in the food you eat is something that can negatively affect your heart health. The American Heart Association states that “In some people, sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, creating an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium in the diet may also have other harmful health effects, including increased risk for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.iv Processed, pre-packaged foods tend to have a large amount of sodium content. The following pasta recipe from the Mayo Clinic’s Heart Healthy collection is easily homemade and a double batch can made, frozen, and used for future meals.
The following provided by Suspendedcoffes.com gives an amazing example of how you perceive the important things in your life. Is your jar as full as it could be? And are you filling your jar with the things that will benefit you the most? Matter the most? Check it out…
Suspended Coffees: How Full is Your Jar?
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc
Every day I witness how an accident or trauma can derail someone’s life. And size does not always matter. A small accident can have catastrophic results, depending on who it happens to. My clients, searching for answers, often want dates and timelines to map out their recovery and to try and understand for how long their life might be disrupted. They are often faced with financial hardship or ruin, jobs on the line, families that are not coping, and independence lost. They need to emotionally prepare for the road ahead.
In physical rehab, answers are easier – doctors are skilled at predicting when people can weight-bear, when the cast might come off, when they might be able to return to some form of normal function. But what is difficult to predict, always, is the emotional consequences of an injury, and the length and completeness of a cognitive recovery.
In my world, optimal recovery comes from the combination of many things:
1. A body that is given the optimal fuel, resources and environment for healing.
2. A motivated client.
3. Funding for rehabilitation, including a supportive insurer.
4. A lawyer (if present) that supports and fights for treatment approvals.
5. An external environment that fosters recovery (family, friends, employers, financial security, and a suitable living environment).
If one of these things is lacking, the entire process suffers. So, while I always want to provide hope and encouragement for people in their recovery, I cannot control any of these factors and they can mean the difference between weeks and years of disability. For some, the odds of these factors aligning are often stacked too heavily against them and the outcome does not look good.
And then there are the people that surprise us all and beat the odds. Those people that return to work more quickly than we thought possible, can walk when they were told this would be unlikely, and whose family unite and become stronger when faced with a challenge.
Right now we are in the middle of the Olympics. I thought it would be appropriate to share some Olympic stories of athletes that overcame adversity to fulfill their Olympic dreams (revised from Oxygen Magazine, Winter Olympics Issue):
Betty Robinson was 16 when she competed and won gold in the first Olympics that allowed women to participate in track (1928). In 1931 she survived a plane crash that left her in a coma for seven months. It took her two years to walk again. Yet, she returned to the Olympics in 1936 and won another gold.
Melissa Stockwell lost her left leg in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army in 2004. Four years later she completed in the Beijing Paralympics in swimming.
Quanitta Underwood suffered years of childhood abuse by her father. At 19 she discovered boxing and went on to compete in the 2012 London Olympics.
Silken Laumann was an accomplished rower when she broke her leg badly months before the 1992 Olympics. After five surgeries and three weeks in hospital, she returned to training six weeks later and captured bronze in the summer games that same year.
So, if you have been injured or endured trauma that has set you back, don’t ever count yourself out. Odds are just odds…made to be challenged, defied and broken. While I can’t control anything on the list of things that promote an optimal recovery, you can.
A Staircase.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and on this day many reflect on and celebrate those they love. Relationships have a long term effect on both our mental and physical health. The following from Psychology Today discusses how when selecting a mate we should be careful to examine their healthy and not-so-healthy habits as these may influence the way you live. Already in a relationship? Take time with your partner to discuss how the two of you can work together to improve your healthy habits.
February is Heart Month and what you eat can affect the health of your heart. However, heart healthy foods don’t have to be bland. The recipes featured this month will be delicious, heart healthy, and easy to make meals you can prepare ahead of time, freeze and enjoy anytime.
We’ve waited four years for another winter Olympics and they are finally here! For the next 2 weeks athletes from around the world will put it all on the line to strive to be the best in their particular sport. How do they get there? Through diligent physical and mental training and excellent coaching. The following from the Hamilton Spectator has drawn a parallel to how Olympic athletes are coached and trained to how Canada can improve its healthcare system. Read on and see if you agree that coaching may be the missing link to giving Canadians the best healthcare possible.
The Hamilton Spectator: Healthcare Improvement and the Olympics