Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit
What's New?
Mobility Dogs
Mobility Dogs operates a continual training programme to cater for the high demand for assistance dogs. Funds and resources available determine the number of dogs that undergo the comprehensive training programme which results in a fully trained dog being able to react to over 90 commands. An investment of time and love, together with an outlay of $25,000 per dog.
The Auckland Spinal Unit is one of the venues where the mobility dogs carry out their training and are interested to get further involved in this programme.
These dogs are trained to aid and assist a human partner 24 hours a day, seven days a week, inside the home and out in the community. The puppies come from animal rescue centres, from breeders and by donation and Labradors and Golden Retrievers are predominately chosen because of their suitability to the wide variety of situations and environments they are exposed to.
Sailing Simulator
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Trained staff from Parafed and the spinal unit are using the tool for the rehabilitation of inpatients and outpatients. The simulator is on loan from Virtual Sailing, an Australian Company who design and manufacture it for training both disabled and able-bodied sailors. The device was originally installed in the Emirates Team New Zealand headquarters on the Viaduct and was trialled by a large number of tetraplegic and paraplegic sailors and potential sailors during the Kiwi Cup Accessibility Regatta in January. It uses a hydraulic system run through a compressor to allow it to heel like a real yacht. There is a mainsheet (rope) to control the sail and a joystick to steer the yacht. A visual display of the sailing course is shown on a large TV screen, with arrows on the water indicating wind direction and speed. For disabled sailors, a seat is placed in the centre of the boat and if a person is unable to pull in the mainsheet, a smaller joystick is used that controls direction of the boat as well as the position of the main sail. For able-bodied sailors, the seat can be removed and the simulator used to assist in training. It has been used by sailors preparing for the Olympics and developing their competitive racing sills. Staff hope the simulator will become a long term rehabilitation tool for patients at the Spinal Unit. Brendon Tourelle reports: Sept 2010 The Simulator program is steadily
growing, we are now doing two days a week, with next week's 11
times fully booked, since the winter program started, we have
done 125 sessions.
At the moment we have a group of young guys in the ward, in a strong competition trying to better each others race times. The friendly rivalry is a lot of fun for them. We have a small group of simulator users looking forward to the start of the Sailability Auckland learn Sail program, starting with a Give it a go day, on the 18th Sept. They will finally get in a real boat and try sailing for the first time
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FES machine
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The Spinal Unit have had a Functional Electronic Stimulation (FES) machine kindly donated by the New Zealand Rugby Foundation. Functional Electrical Stimulation is a rehabilitation technique whereby electrical current stimulates nerves to evoke muscle contractions. The machine creates patterned movement of the arms or legs which enables the muscles to work and actively perform even though voluntary muscle control may have been lost. Most people with spinal cord injuries cannot voluntarily exercise following their injury. The Spinal Unit team are excited at this new addition to their resources and hope this will assist towards patient’s rehabilitation. |
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Published: 18-Jan-2012 | Website enquiries: Administration Coordinator