Abano Rehabilitation helping people to walk again

Brain Awareness Week 15 to 21 March 2010

Hone Herewini was 37 years old, a well respected policeman with a young family and a love of rugby. However, a knock on the head during a friendly rugby game has seen him spend the last two years in hospital and rehabilitation, fighting to regain the ability to walk and the return of his independence.

Every year, the equivalent of two jumbo jets full of New Zealanders suffer from a brain injury, one of the highest injury rates in the Western world .

While some of these are minor injuries with no long term impact on a person’s health, more traumatic brain injuries can have enormous personal, social and economic consequences across a patient’s life span.

Hamilton brain injury rehabilitation provider, Abano Rehabilitation, has been providing services to the Waikato community for nearly a decade. The healthcare provider is at the forefront of brain injury rehabilitation in New Zealand, and cares for hundreds of patients every year.

The involvement of family and whanau in planning and decision making is particularly important in the rehabilitation of patients with traumatic brain injuries. Abano Rehabilitation has recently expanded its facilities in Ohaupo Rod in Hamilton to meet growing demand for both short and long term residential clients from the Waikato region, allowing locally-based family members to visit easily.

Originally from the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Hone has spent the last two years in hospital and rehabilitation, following his collapse on the rugby field in September 2008.

The muscles in his left leg contracted after his accident, and Hone has spent months in rehabilitation, first having botox therapy and then having a series of casts applied to his leg to progressively straighten it.

Hone was admitted to Abano Rehabilitation in January 2010, where he can be close to his whanau. From struggling to move out of his wheelchair when he first arrived, Hone is now standing between two staff and is hoping to be walking under his own steam within the next three months. His goal is to regain the ability to walk so he can go home and be with his children and family.

Manager at Abano Rehabilitation in Hamilton, Judy Green-Philpott said: “Hone’s wicked sense of humour has helped see him through the past two years, and he has been a positive and entertaining resident at Abano Rehabilitation. He always has a smile on his face and his positive approach to life and his physical rehabilitation is helping him achieve his goal of walking again.

“Being based in Hamilton makes it easy for family and friends in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty to visit and spend time with their loved ones. Seeing familiar faces and maintaining roles within the family is an essential part of the rehabilitation pathway; and all our clients, including Hone, appreciate the time they spend with family.”

Abano Rehabilitation also works closely with family to provide support if the patient suffers from serious and permanently cognitive or personality changes as a result of the injury.

There are four distinct stages of rehabilitation – Acute care/neurosurgery where the client is treated in hospital; residential rehabilitation; non-residential rehabilitation and longer term community support. Abano Rehabilitation specialises in providing care in the residential and non-residential stages of rehabilitation.

ENDS