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| Physical Rehabilitation |
| In order to prevent burn scars from turning
into permanent deformities, our therapists provide physical rehabilitation,
pressure therapy and image enhancement services.
The goal of physical rehabilitation
Advances in medical care have meant that burn victims now have greater
chances of survival and recovery. However, long-term immobilization
during medical treatment and the formation of hypertrophic scars
will lead to joint contracture and deformity. One of the ultimate
goals of burn care is to allow patients to regain their physical
functions and return within the community. As such, physical rehabilitation
plays a crucial role in burn survivorsˇ¦ recovery process.
Sunshine Physical Rehabilitation
Center
In 1991, Sunshine Foundation set up in Taipei the Physical Rehabilitation
Center to provide burn survivors with physical and occupational
therapy services specifically adapted to their needs. Burn survivors referred to the Foundation first undergo evaluation by our therapists and a rehabilitation program is then developed.
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The services offered by our Rehabilitation
Center include:
- Patient evaluation
- Burn care education
- Reconditioning exercises
- ROM exercises
- Functional activities
- Splinting
- ADL training.
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| For burn survivors who are in close contact during the long period of their physical rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Center has become an environment for peer support, which can help burn survivors get through the period of physical discomfort and psychological adjustment that follows their accident. As such, the Center often organizes activities and outings to encourage interaction between burn survivors themselves, but also with the community |
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- In 2010, 56 burn survivors underwent rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Center in Taipei.
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| Physical rehabilitation
outreach program in the regions |
For burn survivors living outside major urban
centers like Taipei or Kaohsiung, distance or a lack of medical resources
means that having access to regular physical therapy adapted to their
special needs is problematic. Some burn survivors will come to the
Rehabilitation Center in Taipei, and the Foundation will provide temporary
housing at Sunshine Half-Way House for the period of their rehabilitation
program.
For burn survivors unable to come to Taipei, the Foundation has developed
an outreach service by which social workers and therapists visit patients
in their home, carrying out evaluation, planning of a rehabilitation
program, and supervision. By educating the patient and family members
about the importance of physical rehabilitation, by overseeing the
progress of rehabilitation and by assisting with pressure garment
fitting, our outreach visits contribute to reducing medical complications
such as scar contracture. |
- In 2010, a total of 349 burn rehabilitation home visits were carried out in central, southern and eastern Taiwan
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| Pressure therapy and assistive devices
Pressure therapy
Pressure therapy ˇV wearing of tight, elastic pressure garments ˇV
to prevent and control the formation of hypertrophic scars is an
important component in the treatment of burns.
Sunshine Foundation started providing pressure garment services
in 1999. All our pressure garments are custom-made, with our therapists
overseeing measurement, production and fitting.
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There is a difference between garments custom-made by our therapists
and those produced by manufacturers. In the case of Sunshine Foundation,
evaluation by therapists is carried out before and after the garment
is made. This follow-up process ensures quality and a perfect fit,
and it is also important to help the patient adapt to this new garment.
To heal facial scars, the Foundation also produces transparent
facial masks, which are molded from the patients face, thus covering
perfectly to reduce facial scaring.
Assistive devices
Apart from pressure garments and masks, Sunshine Foundation also
makes other assistive devices such as ear, nose or eye prosthesis.
Sunshine can also provide information to people with facial disfigurement
about assistive device resources and technology available to them.
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- A total of 3,143 pressure garments were made in 2010
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| Image enhancement
For burn survivors with visible scars or people with other forms
of facial disfigurement, the process of accepting oneˇ¦s appearance
can be difficult; apart from dealing with their own internal struggle,
burn survivors and people with facial disfigurement must also deal
with the stares, questions or even negative reactions of strangers.
Recovery is not just physical, it is also emotional.
That is why Sunshine Foundation launched
the ˇ§Sunshine Image Enhancement Workshop,ˇ¨ to accompany burn survivors
and people with facial disfigurement on the road towards building
self-confidence. We provide a space where they can meet and discuss
how to feel natural and at ease, how to dress or use makeup to look
good, how to respond to the stare or questions of strangers, or
how to engage in conversation with people met for the first time.
Our services include:
- Remedial camouflage makeup sessions: Teach how to use makeup to
cover skin discoloration or scars.
- Color analysis and fashion consulting: Teach how to choose appropriate
clothing style and color to make scars or asymmetrical features
less obvious.
- Social skills training: Teach how to deal with and respond to
curious stares or questions, build social interaction skills and
increase self-confidence.
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| The Foundation organizes trainings, and can
also arrange individual consultations upon appointment. |
- In 2010, the Foundation carried out 25 individual consultations, while group trainings and activities benefited 180 people.
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