The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation

International and Division

E-Newsletter

May 2016

We Care . We Share

About HKSR | Unsubscribe | Online Donation Seasonal Story How big is your world? The humble conditions of adobes in Hong Kong have been inspiring lots of interior designers. They come up with diverse ideas, trying to optimize the use of limited spaces. I was quite surprised to see the innovative and practical “interior designs” of the small houses scattered on the vast land in the earthquake-stricken area of Ya’an, as it is less crowded here than Hong Kong.

Sichuan Province is a disaster-prone area. An earthquake with a Richter scale reading of 7 hit Lushan County of Ya’an City in Province, which resulted in about 200 deaths and more than 13,000 injured. Over 250,000 residences were collapsed or were damaged. It could be imagined the situation was even worse for people with disabilities who lived in the mountains. The purpose of our visit was to learn how the adaption proceeded in the reconstructed houses for people with disabilities who were affected by the earthquake, to provide rehabilitation suggestions, assistive devices and environment improvement support that they needed, in order to help them to return to normal living.

We came to Yingjing County of Ya’an City this time. It was one of the most devastated area during Ya’an earthquake. A man with disabilities was lying in bed when we entered. Our therapist colleague first did an investigation of the background and made an assessment. The man had a spinal cord injury from a coal mine accident more than 20 years ago. His upper extremities functioned fine, but he was paraplegic and bedridden. We gradually learnt his habits in daily living through talking with him. When asked whether he took care of his personal grooming by himself, the man answered, “Of course!” He then took out the wash set placed in the cabinet next to his bed. There was also a basin of water close to his bed, which was changed every day by his wife. He showed us his backscratcher that he could not only use for scratching his back, but also dressing himself. He also showed us his bedpan placed under his bed which made it possible for him not to walk to the toilet. We asked if there was any entertainment for him. He pulled the rope next to his hand and a radio slowly fell in front of our eyes to the place where the man could reach. He took out the remote control and turned on the TV that stood at the end of his bed. The man said to us, ”Even though I do not go out, I can still know what has been going on around the world. I need to be updated of the outside world!” We realized there were more hidden “secrets” within his reach, which varied from devices for physical exercises to mosquito prevention International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016) tools. All these “interior designs” were made by the man, whose whole world was within this small space. His spirit and attitude for life really moved us. 2

In the eyes of we community based rehabilitation staff, the environment of course limited the man’s life. His world would be much wider with suitable assistive devices, adequate home modification, appropriate rehabilitation trainings and basic knowledge of disease prevention. However, because of the earthquake, the man’s house was damaged and was not suitable for home modification. The bumpy ground and narrow passage also limited the access for wheelchairs. He and his wife are now waiting for the new resident to be finished. We hope to provide him assistive devices and suitable home environment in their new resident, so that his world would be opened up more.

There are still lots of people with disabilities from the remote areas who live in very limited spaces lacking appropriate community based rehabilitation and environmental support. We believe community based rehabilitation will promote environmental and social improvements, and increase the participation of people with disabilities, so that they can have a life with better quality. Choi Sai Kit

Footprints of Volunteers Love and adhere to your work I would like to introduce two volunteers and workshop participants this time. I have the following experience after being on a business trip together with them: 1. I received VIP treatment, as they took the initiative to deal with hotel and restaurant payments on behalf of me, so that I could avoid possible mistakes due to miscommunication. 2. It was always a joy to chat with them after class. It was such a joy to let the tension relieve. Their act of the same paragraph in their own dialects is still echoing in my ears. 3. The training workshop organized by Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation was excellent!

The two volunteers and participants are Wan Jianna (Deputy director of the Rehabilitation Department of Jiangxi Province Nanchang City Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Centre) and Cheng Man (Speech therapist of Chongqing City Children’s Home). The two of them participated in our training workshops several times from 2005-2014. We invited them to our TOT (Training of Trainers) of “Mainland rehabilitation staff training project – assisting children with severe disabilities in mainland”, and now they are already mentors of our project. Even though they have very different characteristics, they both love and adhere to their work. Jianna (in the purple coat) was explaining tothe therapists from other welfare houses Jianna was originally a nurse. She started rehabilitation how to do assessment. work at the Welfare Centre six years ago and has already been promoted to a managing position. She said she learnt from working and most were learnt from our

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International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016) training workshops. Her understanding of rehabilitation was also changed from simply exercising and training to children’s participation, therefore 3 she now actively promote this perspective.

Cheng Man is a vigorous lady who is outgoing and speaks fast. She studied special education in the university. In 2005, she participated in our training of speech and communication, and then changed to be a speech therapist. She is one of the few members from the training workshops who still insists on speech training. Cheng Man feels our training workshops are different from the ones organized by other organizations, as our trainers require the trainees to follow closely. There are lots of interaction and communication in class, and the trainees need to listen and think. Therefore, she also pays special attention to the students’ active Cheng Man (in the T-shirt with strips) participation in her own class. was in class showing how to help children with cerebral palsy with When recalling their own teachings, both of them reflected even though chewing and swallowing they tried their best to prepare for the class, the lectures were still not satisfactory enough. However, I believe they are already far better than those experts who lack frontline experience and who can only recite the manuscripts, as these two ladies not only have proficient rehabilitation knowledge and teaching techniques, but also are kind and careful with children.

They believe people should think further about rehabilitation, instead of only focusing on what can be learnt from books. What can children with special needs do in the next five or ten years? The quality of living for these children can be improved by considering their needs and adjusting their living routines. Sometimes they are called mothers by children as they are genuinely loved. The reason they stay at the welfare houses with lower salaries compared to working in hospitals is they hope to help these children.

Jianna and Cheng Man are grateful for their teachers who not only taught them professional knowledge, but also helped them when they were confused, including Li Yuetang, Zhang Jiayi and Xie Xiuling etc. They also set them great examples of good teachers.

I hope these two hard working and lovely ladies will continue to shine in the rehabilitation work and pass on the light. (Alky Leung)

Colleague’s story Review of the three years anniversary of Sichuan Yang Kang Rehabilitation Resource Centre

Would you think of giant pandas, spicy hotpot or beautiful Jiuzhaigou when we talk about Sichuan? Sichuan is an inland province with a long history, rich natural resources and prosperous economy. It is one of the four basins in China. It was Shu State during the Three Kingdoms time. It was also the rear area battle line during the Anti-Japanese War.

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International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016)

I have worked in the social welfare section for ten years. I was working at a humanitarian organization when 512 Wenchuan 4 Earthquake happened in Sichuan in 2008. I received firsthand information of the disaster every day from my colleagues and always hoping I could participate in the work. I rarely had opportunities to work in the mainland due to my jobs. However, as I followed Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation to Sichuan this time, it still felt like I was visiting the earthquake-stricken area. It had been eight years since the Wenchuan earthquake occurred. Most of the reconstruction and settlement work have been completed and the injured have started their new life. My visit was to the counties that were not directly influenced by the earthquake, yet the rehabilitation needs for local people with disabilities were still considerable. After all, there are at least one billion people (one person in every seven persons) worldwide who have different degrees of disabilities, according to WHO.

After Wenchuan earthquake, with the support from HKSAR government, Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation launched community based rehabilitation program in the affected areas. The program included establishing and promoting self-help and mutual aid groups, organizing self-management courses etc. Up to 2013, with the support of local partners, Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation helped to establish Sichuan Yang Kang Rehabilitation Resource Center (Yang Kang), which was officially registered as a provincial private non-enterprise unit. It will be Yang Kang’s three year anniversary on 21 May 2016. I hope to share a bit of Yang Kang’s work in these three years.

Yang Kang advocates making rehabilitation service plans with International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as the framework. The team consists of professional social workers and therapists, which provides multi-disciplinary rehabilitation services to people with disabilities who are in need.

At present, the focus of the work is gradually withdrawn from the severely hit areas by Wenchuan earthquake and transferred to the counties of , for instance, Disabled Persons’ Federation community based rehabilitation project in City and the community project in Chengdu.

Over the past three years, Yang Kang has been cooperating with local Disabled Persons’ Federation to establish professional rehabilitation centers and train rehabilitation workers to improve their professional knowledge. When the earthquake hit Ya’an in 2013, Yang Kang and Hong Kong Red Cross provided rehabilitation services to the wounded. The services included environment innovation and distributing appropriate assistive devices. In addition, Yang Kang also organized summer camps together with local schools to build up social supporting network for the young people who were affected by the earthquake.

Furthermore, together with the World Vision and Sichuan Province Disable Persons’ Federation, Yang Kang composed “Handbook for Community Based Rehabilitation Guidelines” (Chinese and English) for training purpose for local Disabled Person’s Federations in Sichuan. By cooperating with international humanitarian organizations, Yang Kang has become a rehabilitation organization with wider visions which can provide diversified and cross-region services. The long term partnerships with different organizations

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International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016) also help to consolidate Yang Kang’s specialty in rehabilitation in Sichuan Province. 5 The needs for rehabilitation do not only come from congenital physical disabilities, but also from chronic diseases like strokes, due to the living and diet habits of urban life. The public healthcare system is under great pressure because of the rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities, and Yang Kang can make it up. Yang Kang has been actively promoting rehabilitation projects that connect hospitals and communities, in order to make up for the missing services and to assist people with chronic diseases and disabilities in returning to their communities in the possible shortest time.

In addition, Yang Kang is also committed to promoting public education of integration of people with disabilities into the society, in order to encourage and help more people with disabilities to involve more in their communities. Yang Kang continues to reach out for local Disabled Persons’ Federation in the areas where rehabilitation services have not been reached to provide consulting and professional training services, in order to meet Sichuan Province’s development policy for people with disabilities.

At present, Yang Kang plans to gradually expand the comprehensive rehabilitation training program for children with disabilities and their parents. Furthermore, Yang Kang has been keeping close connections with international humanitarian relief and community development organizations, to ensure they can speak for people with disabilities on issues of community disaster preparedness and prevention, and the livelihood of people who suffer from poverty.

We hope Yang Kang’s service can present a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive rehabilitation service from a more three dimensional perspective, and set a good professional example, so that we can participate and work together for bigger progress in rehabilitation in the mainland, and at the end realize Yang Kang’s vision – to establish a barrier free society with mutual help, love and equal participation. （Vincent Wang）

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International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016)

Division Updates 6

The 13th CyberRun for Rehab will be held again on November 27th (Sunday) ! Raised fund will be used to support the rehabilitation training & consultation services for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in Mainland China, to help develop community rehabilitation services.

Category:  7Km FUN Run  7Km Fitness Walk  1.5Km Accessible Walk

Route: 7Km: Start at Ap Lei Chau Wind Tower Park, finish at Cyberport Waterfront Park 1.5KM : Cyberport Waterfront Park

Features: Participants run or walk through Ap Lei Chau Wind Tower Park, Ap Lei Chau Bridge, Aberdeen Promenade, fish markets and finished with a sunset at the WaterFront Park, Cyberport. Participants could enjoy the beautiful scenery alongside Aberdeen Harbour. Fun booths and lucky draw will be held at The Arcade of Cyberport near the finishing Point.

We sincerely invite you and your friends to join in team or individual. Let’s run / walk for health and charity.

Enquiry : 2855 9360 / 2817 2651 Email : [email protected] Website: www.cyberrun.hk Facebook : www.facebook.com/CyberRunforRehab

More event details will be updated and posted on both the website and the Facebook Page.

Leave your watch behind. Run or walk with your family and friends. Regain the joy of exercise!!

(Carol Kwong)

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International and China Division E-Newsletter (May 2016)

2016 West Pacific Area Community based rehabilitation seminar – 7 Community based rehabilitation practice and innovation

The 2016 West Pacific Area Community based Rehabilitation seminar was successfully held on 24 March 2016. Great thanks to speakers who came from different countries such as Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Macau, Mainland and Hong Kong. More than 100 delegates attended the seminar.

Donate Now

Your donation and support will help us to provide more professional trainings to mainland rehabilitation workers which will benefit more persons with disabilities and persons with chronic illnesses.

Donation line: 2817-2651 Donation form click here

The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation International and China Division Email﹕[email protected] Tel﹕(852) 2817-2651 Fax﹕(852) 2818-0601 Address﹕Room 16, 1/F, 7 Rehab Path, Lam Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

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