Cerebral Palsy Scotland

Jon McFarlane: My return to therapy

What’s it really like to have in person therapy again?

Last week, I returned to Cerebral Palsy Scotland for a therapy session with Filip.  I was given an allocated time, and when you arrive at the centre, you are required to call the number of reception as a means of avoiding touching the entry button. When you enter, your temperature is taken, and you have to go straight to the therapy room. These small changes made me feel safe and content.

For me, it is essential when going for therapy of any kind that you are relaxed. This ensures that your therapy is as efficient as possible.

Filip, who was the therapist for the session, spent some time at the start finding out about how general life was during this time, and what could be improved in terms of Cerebral Palsy symptoms. I have been experiencing some acute nerve pain in my back for a couple of years now. I explained this to Filip, and he came up with some exercises that I could do to stretch that particular area of my back. He also gave me some preventative measures to take to help protect my lower back. For example, he suggested that I should try and build up my upper back alongside my abdominals as a way to compensate for the weakness in the lower back.

Most importantly, though, therapy felt NORMAL. Aside from the safety measures that were implementing the session felt as uplifting as ever. Filipe took the time to understand and assess what my needs were from the session and provided me with the tools required to achieve my goals in terms of my back injury. The explanation he offered about everything I asked was great for me as I like to have an in-detail understanding of why certain things happen. I got a lot from the session, and I am confident, in time, that the exercises that were provided to me will support me in the longer term. Filip assured me that if I have any questions or difficulties he is only a phone call or email away.

Personally, the therapy session was the most positive enjoyable experience that I have experienced since the commencement of the ‘lockdown’.

I would encourage anyone that needs a therapy session and feels well enough to do so to get in contact. The centre is there to provide support to those who need it. The centre is exceptionally safe, and anyone should not be concerned about attending, given the current COVID-19 circumstances. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Filip and all the Cerebral Palsy Scotland staff for all the help that they have provided me with recently and for the past 22 years.

Welcome back!

Therapy at the Centre

The centre has had a facelift and has (finally) been re-branded fully as Cerebral Palsy Scotland.

We have installed some adaptations to the centre in order to ensure staff and your safety. (You will see that Katie has been “boxed in” with Perspex in reception!)

When you attend the centre there will be some new procedures to follow:

  • All visitor access is by prior appointment only.
  • We are asking everyone to arrive just before their appointment time and to call us on the telephone from the car park so that we can let you into the building without you having to touch door buttons and handles.
  • Unfortunately there are no waiting facilities in reception and we can’t offer you our usual teas/coffees/juice to welcome you in.
  • We will take the temperature of everyone who enters the building with a non-contact forehead thermometer.
  • Everyone will be asked to sanitise their hands prior to accessing any areas within the Centre. (We have sourced some branded automatic dispensers for this).
  • You will be shown directly to your designated therapy room which will have been thoroughly sanitised prior to their session.
  • The therapists will wear appropriate PPE (including face coverings and gloves) during therapy sessions.
  • We’re asking those that can, to wear a face covering during your time in the centre. If you don’t have a mask, we have disposable ones available.
  • We’re also asking that anyone attending for a therapy session only attends with one other parent/carer (unless otherwise agreed in advance) who should remain 2 metres apart from the therapists and staff whilst in the building wherever possible.

Appointments are having to be spread out so that we can ensure the rooms are fully cleaned between sessions. We have extra hand sanitiser, sprays, wipes and disposable paper towels available for your use during your visit and we are taking every precaution we can to enable us to resume our therapy sessions in person.

As expected, we do ask that you only attend the centre if you are well. If you or anyone in your household has coronavirus symptoms you must not attend the centre.  The most common symptoms are new:

  • continuous cough
  • fever/high temperature (37.8C or greater)
  • loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia)

A new continuous cough is where you:

  • have a new cough that’s lasted for an hour
  • have had 3 or more episodes of coughing in 24 hours
  • are coughing more than usual

A high temperature is feeling hot to the touch on your chest or back (you don’t need to measure your temperature). You may feel warm, cold or shivery.

If you’ve developed symptoms (however mild) in the last 7 days, you must stay at home for 7 days from the start of your symptoms and arrange to be tested. Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital.

We hope that despite everything, you will still experience a very warm welcome when you come into the centre.  We are so pleased to be able to welcome people back and please do feel free to call if you have any questions about what the changes mean for you.

If you would like to enquire about appointments, please contact us HERE.

Being able to stand is so important to me

Marion talks about how she’s enjoying being able to stand in a standing frame once again.

At the start of 2020, way before the coronavirus hit us, I was told I was going to be moving into supportive accommodation.  Unfortunately, due to the support organisation’s rules I will need to use a hoist instead of a stand aid for all my transfers. For me, this was very difficult to get my head around after years of being able to stand, and always been dead anti hoist…   it was a bad word in my head, lol !

Also after years of my Bobath therapy and the therapists’ recommendations to promote weight-bearing I knew I needed to find myself a standing frame to assist me to remain able to stand, even though I will need to use a hoist.

So, I was straight on to Filip, my therapist at Cerebral Palsy Scotland, to ask him if he knew where I could get a suitable standing frame. He suggested a company down in England I could try, however he said there were one in the centre that I could borrow, and did I want to try it out? I jumped at the chance.

I had tried it out the week before lock-down at the centre and got on really well with it. I loved the feeling of being able to stand up straight.

Despite the centre closure, a few weeks ago, we were able to arrange with Filip for my brother to pick it up from the centre. It is now in our front room.

I have been loving using it on a regular basis, it’s so good for my back and legs. It is good for me to know that I can use it no bother, I have the strength in my legs to be able to stand. I can open up my back so that is very important to me. At the moment I’m building my time up,   I’m hoping that I can be in the frame for half an hour.

When I eventually move out into my new house, I hope I can use it regularly and then I will have no worries about losing my standing ability.

Bernie Hunter: Lockdown dancing

Over the past few months our lives have been far from normal; we have seen big changes due to COVID-19. The lockdown restrictions are in place for a very important reason, to keep us all safe of course but it doesn’t mean that we can’t still cheer people up during this uncertain time.

In May, the country was well into lockdown and the weeks were going slowly so I wanted to do something to cheer people up. Along with my family, we decided to dance at a safe distance in our street. The weekly Clap For Key Workers was always a heart-warming moment so I thought that it would be nice to start dancing after everyone clapped and this is exactly what we done.

We danced to the song ‘Saturday Night’ with all of our neighbours watching and joining in, it was lovely to see people coming together at a safe distance. I got some real enjoyment out of dancing out of my wheelchair in the street too, it was something that I never thought would happen- strange times indeed. At the end of the dance, I could feel joy as everyone was clapping and smiling. The feeling that you have made a difference to someone’s day is brilliant.

My neighbours played their part too by staying out to support us, providing the music and filming the dance which we greatly appreciated. Like most neighbourhoods, people don’t really have time to chat to you as everyone has busy lives but since lockdown, that has all changed.

I would just nod and say hi to my neighbours before this situation so people didn’t really know anything about me apart from that I use a wheelchair for my mobility which is totally understandable. It was really interesting to see the reactions from people when I came out of my chair and danced, I felt like people were getting to see a different side of me which I was glad about. I love to show people that my Cerebral Palsy doesn’t stop me, I can still do activities and dancing in my street was perfect to raise awareness about disability.

We danced again at the beginning of June, this time to the song ‘Macarena’ and I noticed that everyone was more confident to chat to me. People were now cheering me on whereas before they were kind of shy. So, something positive has come out of lockdown- who would have thought.

I am delighted that I managed to raise some funds for Cerebral Palsy Scotland too by doing the dances, a special thank you to my neighbours who kindly donated- the total is £280 which will go a long way to helping children & adults living with Cerebral Palsy.

Keep safe everyone!

Jon McFarlane: Lockdown life

My name is Jon McFarlane, I am 23 years old and have cerebral palsy. I started attending Bobath when I was 2 not being able to walk. Now I have international caps in CP football and this is thanks to the hard work that the fantastic team at Cerebral Palsy Scotland do every day.

Working from home
I am currently studying for a PhD in economics at the University of Strathclyde. My research and my university are something that I am passionate about and genuinely have missed being on campus every day. Our department has been very supportive both before and during this situation and this has been important in transitioning to working from home.

I struggled to work from home at first. I enjoy working in an office environment with others. I am a people’s person and like to have a conversation at any given time.

The thought of working from my room alone, isolated, was worse than the reality. I still have regular catch-ups with my peers on Zoom and meet with my supervisors online a few times per week. Dr Grant Allan and Dr Gioele Figus have been fundamental in supporting me to adapt to working from home and I cannot thank them enough.

Cycling
Without football and golf, I started to look for new sporting ventures. I got myself a bike, got all the gears switched to the left and off I went. Cycling since lockdown has been great. When I have needed a break away from work or needed time alone to let off some steam cycling has been the ideal remedy. It provides exercise, Vitamin D and a challenge.

Reading
Another opportunity that lockdown has given me is time to relax and read for enjoyment. I have used this opportunity to learn about the brain in a lot more detail than I had previously known, and this has helped me understand cerebral palsy more. This understanding genuinely has made me feel happier and content, and without lockdown, I would never have had the time to do this.

Some helpful tips when you are stressed/sad/ anxious/ needing support

Tip 1: Don’t watch the news
The media thrive on negativity and portray negative images of the deaths and infection rates of COVID-19 etc. Although this is important to know and understand, if you are feeling down it is not a good idea to see any negativity – as my granny says “out of sight, out of mind.”

Tip 2: Use technologies available
Apps like headspace and calm are fantastic for both adults and children at helping calm the mind and guiding yourself through stressful times. Mindfulness and wellness are essential right now.

Tip 3: Reach out to your friends and family
These people are there for you. Although you might think “they have their own worries, I won’t bother them”, it is beneficial for everyone to know that everyone else is doing okay.

Tip 4: Ask for help if you need it

As I said, I’m happy to chat anyone – parent, carer, or have CP yourself! Also, Cerebral Palsy Scotland have weekly Zoom coffee and catch ups and are there at the end of the phone or the computer to help, so please reach out if you need to.

Please stay safe, look after yourselves, enjoy life as much as possible and I will see you all soon.