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b.Canazdîan Champion, Tuesday, Octobr 12,199M -6î INew rehab centre a lifel ine for young and old By SANDRA MOANED Special to The Champion J ornes without warning and leaves devasta- tion in its wake. It is called a stroke and Jean Caine had one early in June while sitting ini an armchair in ber southeast Oakville home late one afternoon. Unable to stand or move ber left arrn, and witb a prickly sensa- tion runnîng along the side of ber face, she imrnedîately tele- phoned her farnily for help. Ms Caine, wbo will only admit to neyer seeing 70 again, spent frtur days in the intensive care unit of the Oakville-Trafalgar Mernorial Hospital (OTMH) followed by three rnonths in the rehabilitation unit. "It was a terrble shock because I'rn a business woman who went to work every day and to suddenly not be able to do for iisyself was a terribly traurnatic experience," said Ms Caine, owner of CHWO Radio. Two weeks ago abe was discharged from the new $2 million, 39-bcd rebabilitation program at OTMH that was officially opened recently. Now Ms Caine is an out-patient in thc Step Up Itngram tbat continues on wbere the in-patient rebabilitation pro- gramn left off. Wheelchair only temporary Ms Caine said without thc rehabilitation prograrn and Uic excel- lent care she received. frorn tbe staff she would not have gotten better. .I'rn up on .rny feet walkng around, wben I neyer tbougbt I would be, and I'rn back in rny own borne, wbicb I neyer Uiougbt I would be," said sbe said. She stil relies on a wbeelcbair or a walker rnucb of thc tirne to get around, but insista tbis is only ternporary. Undergoing rebabilitation tberapy is sornetbing Ms Caine finds ..very ironic" since abe bas devoted ber life as a volunteer for rebabilitation services. She and ber late busband Howard became acquainted witb rebab when their daugbter, Parnela Caine-Stokes, was confined to a wbeclcbair aftpr contracting polio as a young cbild in 1949. Tbey wcre active in rebabilitation issues for an rnany years thc This is accornplished tbrough a tearn approach that encornpass- es nurses, physicians, phiysiothç-rapists, social workers, occupa- tional therapists, speech language pathologists, discharge plan- ners, dietitians, respiration therapists and recreational therapists. "The beauty of a unit like this is it can be totally coordinated so the people who are working to belp you dress are working witb the people who are building your strengtb up etc.," said Ms Caine. Marcb of Dimes bonoured tbern tbree years ago by naming tbefr building at tbe corner of Robinson and Trafalgar after the Caines. It's called the Jean and Howard Caine Centre. The apartment building is spcciaily designed so disabled people can live inde- pendently. Now Ms Caine bas becorne the unofficial spokesperson for Uic bospital's new rebabilitation unit and is fiercely supportive of Uic prograrn. "It is important because it is not just for stroke victima or the elderly, but for cbildren or anyone wbo needa rebabilitation to get tbeir limba functioning again and to get back into Uic rhythrn of tbeir lives," said Ms Caine, wbo was unable to lift ber arrn to cornb ber own bair wben sbe was firat adrnitted. Unit like home Tbe 39-bcd unit and out-patient Step-Up Prograrn occupy Uic Uiird t1oor of Uic bospital known as Tbre West. Patients stay an average of 28 days in thé borne-like rebabilitation unit. In addition to rnany common areas, Uic unît contains a dining roorn wbere patients are cncouraged to take Uieir meals, and an Independent Living Centre (ILC) for assessing patient's indepen- dence. he ILC, thc last stop before diacharge, looks like an apartrnent wiUi its separate kiteben and cozy sitting ares. Its purpose is to sirnulate situations patienta would experience at borne like getting on and off a sofa, in and out of a regular bcd and preparing a meal on Uieir own in Uic fully-cquippcd kitcbcn. Callcd lfunctionsl independence', patients leara bow to wasb, dress, feed, walk - all activities of daily iving that we norrnally do wiUiout tbinking - by Uiernselves. Do you HEAT your HOME with OUL * $100 AIR MILES'1 reward miles * Earn one AIR MILES* reward mile with every $25 in cil purchases * One complimentary Tank Armor treatment (protects < your oit tank) e (905) 878-638 e 1-800-465-6071 'n.,àk thermoshell 0