Working in India

It has been a busy week so I haven't had time to post.  With the support of the staff at Amar Seva Sangham I finally overcame all the compatibility issues and technical difficulties of  calibrating and  running the pressure mapping system last weekend . Pressure mapping involves using a sensor mat  to quantify the pressure between  a person and the cushion.  It is particularly useful for people who cannot feel pressure when sitting by offering them a visual feedback in real time.

 the blue sensor mat goes between the cushion and the client

This week we achieved the goal of having every client the spinal cord unit undergo an evaluation and training session on pressure sore prevention.  All but one client (out of 16) have had pressure ulcers .  It's a huge problem that can lead to months of bed rest and even death.  So we were all interested in finding ways to prevent these sores from occurring.  With the pressure mapping on the computer screen we demonstrated the impact of weight shifting and push ups on pressure distribution.  No translation needed.  Pictures speak volumes...

for  7$ this is a good water overlay on a foam and plywood

The importance of diet, hydration, humidity and monitoring skin integrity were discussed with the help of our translator Gopal.  We also evaluated and documented  the weight distribution properties of local cushions and suggested changes as needed.  Most of the donated cushions I brought from Canada were attributed.

an inner tube is bad for pressure!

standard chair and cushion for spinal cord clients at ASSA.

Special thanks to the care givers that lifted the clients as often as requested so I could try different cushions and to the students that will continue this work after I leave next week.
 I am happy to have the occasions to present the findings at the first McGill global health conference in March.
Word got around about the pressure mapping and many wheelchair using staff requested to be seen.  It's amazing to have such technology in a low resource setting.