Saturdays News - ReJoyce: Rehabilitation Devices for Stroke

ReJoyce - Rehabilitation Devices for Stroke

Rehabtronics develops devices for people with movement impairments resulting from stroke, spinal cord (SCI), brain, and other neurological injuries. ReJoyce, released in 2011, is a hand, arm and shoulder rehabilitation workstation. Recent scientific studies have shown that ReJoyce-based therapy can help people recover arm and shoulder mobility, and hand dexterity. ReJoyce is currently available for clinical use around the world.

If you are interested in ReJoyce-therapy at home, check out our At Home Stroke Recovery Program (http://www.hometelemed.com/).

The following is a compilation of videos about ReJoyce (http://www.rehabtronics.com/) and from organizations like the Rick Hansen Institute and the Alberta Heritage Fund for Medical Research.  Also look at the HomeTeleMed Blog (http://www.hometelemed.com/blog/) -- lots of various Blogs, YouTube, Flash, Vimeo, ... and lots comments/e-mail.

(SSTattler: Many thanks from Dr. Prochazka / Dr. Kowalczewski / and many more ... They made ReJoyce from a prototype to a real device in Edmonton -- now worldwide).


Introduction to the At Home ReJoyce.


 
Telerehabilitation At Home using ReJoyce.


 
Jennifer Gabrysh, use the At Home using ReJoyce.

Saturday Comics - March 24th / 2012

For Better and For Worse  by Lynn Johnston /2006-10-22

(This a serious topic of stroke but with a very nice cartoons. It is all about Grandpa Jim had a stroke and 88 further cartoon "strips" that happened to Grandpa Jim [13th of the series stroke of 88 -- every week])

Click Me!

 "A stroke isn't going to get our way..."   

Dilbert               by Scott Adams / 2012-03-21

(Pick The Best Of The Week for your good humour)

Click Me!

"I can't sign off ..."

Garfield            by Jim Davis / 2012-03-14

(Pick The Best Of The Week for your good humour)

Click Me!

"Target practice!"

Pickles                 by Brian Crane / 2012-03-16

(Pick The Best Of The Week for your good humour)

Click Me!

"That guy on TV is talking so fast ..."

* I tried to get low or free price at the people http://www.UniversalUclick.com/ for the images for the cartoons.  It was too high for Stroke Survivors Tattler i.e. we are not a regular newspaper and our budget is very low.  Fortunately, you will have to do only 1-click more to see the cartoon image, it is legit and it is free using  GoComics.com and Dilbert.com.

Saturday News Articles - March 24th / 2012

In-Home TeleRehabilitation Improves Hand Function

by Andy at Hometelemed | May 16, 2011 | ReJoyce, Scientific Study, Telerehabilitation

Hometelemed’s in-home telerehabilitation technology was the subject of a recently published scientific study. The article, published in the March 11, 2011 edition of the Journal of Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, showed exercise therapy supervised over the Internet may be effective for patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury.

The study combined Hometelemed’s telerehabilitation platform, the ReJoyce workstation, and an experimental toothclick-activated hand stimulator. A first treatment group received 6 weeks of daily at-home treatment using this apparatus, with a second group receiving conventional exercise therapy, also using the hometelemed telerehabilitation platform.

13 participants took part, 5 completing the study with both hands, such that both groups had a sample size of 9. The outcome measures included the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), grasp and pinch force measurements, and the ReJoyce automated hand function test (RAHFT).

The results were very promising:

Coffee and Stroke

by Andy at Hometelemed | March 14, 2011 | Scientific Study, Stroke 

A Swedish study published in the March 10, 2011 edition of Stroke claims that regular coffee consumption can reduce risk of stroke in women by up to 25%.

“Results from our study in women showed that consumption of 1 to 5 cups of coffee per day was associated with a 22 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with consumption of less than 1 cup a day,” – Susanna Larsson, lead researcher, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm

Larsson added that although positive, these are early findings and should not cause women to change their coffee-drinking habits.

The study was large, based on data from 34,670 women, aged 49 to 83, who took part in the Swedish Mammography Cohort, which looked for associations between diet, lifestyle and disease.

It’s Not All Roses:

Stimulating Stimulation: Can We Improve Motor Recovery Following Stroke Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?

Suzanne J. Ackerley 1,2, Cathy M. Stinear 2,3
1. Movement Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Science,
2. Centre for Brain Research,
3. Neurology Research Group, Department of Medicine, The University of Auckland, New Zealand

Background: Ongoing impairment of the upper limb is common after stroke, despite neurorehabilitation. This impairment has a significant impact on an individual’s activity and participation in life roles. It is essential to explore new ways to optimize motor recovery.


Objectives:

What Works to Encourage Brain Plasticity and Recovery after Stroke?

Did you know that your brain is always re-organizing? Even in very old people being treated for advanced cancer there is still some brain re-organization taking place.  Brain plasticity or neuroplasticity are the terms used when the brain changes and adapts to experiences, environmental challenges, or the changes from stroke and brain damage.  From Johnasson’s (2011) review, what is important?

Early after stroke:

Finding Something Interesting To Do After Stroke!

Different people have different interests.  If you didn’t play basketball or the piano before stroke, it isn’t likely that you want to take up wheelchair basketball or learn to play the piano after your stroke.  We really need to think about Different Strokes for Different Folks — or at least different activities that are aligned with your interests.  So what are your interests and how do you find activities that fit your interest?

Larry and Jackie are interested in restoring classic cars and they highly recommend Rock'n August.  It is an international car show and music festival taking place in St. Albert, Alberta (a suburb of Edmonton). When: Tuesday, August the 7th, 2012 through Saturday the 11th, 2012. Information: http://www.rocknaugust.com

Interested in Watching plays, acting, Clowning, Improv, Comedy? Sharon recommends the Creative Age Festival. The 2012 Creative Age Festival takes place June 8 - 10. It encourages seniors to become more involved in the arts and promotes quality arts-based programming for seniors of any age and their families. Information: www.cafestival.ca

Interested in learning? – Remember  ELLA Edmonton Lifelong Learning Association — Register now because these interesting courses fill up fast! Information: http://web.extension.ualberta.ca/extcms/index.php/ella/

What else is coming up in Edmonton?  The Kiwanis Music Festival, the Edmonton Symphony,  other festivals, or plays.  Try the Edmonton Events Calendar:  http://www.edmonton.com/for-visitors/calendar-of-events.aspx

New menu entry -- "Edmonton City Events"

Right New Menu Entry  -- "Edmonton City Events".  The Edmonton City has a nice Calendar,  the List Events order by date, Event Category from "Business Events", ...,  "Trade Shows", and Event Venue from "Alberta Legislature", ..., "Winspear Centre".   Lots of neat events -- I have to look again, and again, and ...  Cheers / SSTattler.

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