QASA partnered with Enable Centre to host a Wellness Day for its members on Saturday, 25 May 2024. Held at the Enable Centre in Kenilworth, Cape Town, the event provided attendees with peer support and valuable information on better caring for their mental and physical health.
The day started with QASA General Manager Richard Barron welcoming attendees. He shared a bit of his life journey, specifically focussing on the impact QASA has made on his life after his spinal cord injury. Richard joined the organisation as a member and empowered himself through the various services on offer. He went on to serve on the QASA board before being appointed the general manager.
“I’m a product of the organisation. I took the opportunities that were offered to me, and now I’m in a position to pay it forward,” he said as he urged members to follow his example.
Support among peers
A crucial service offered by QASA is its peer support programme, which aims to build a community or network through which members can share knowledge, experience and offer support. Speaking at the Wellness Day, QASA peer supporter Sherwin Gerwell said that this programme had the biggest impact on him. After his injury, he didn’t truly understand his situation. Connecting with other quadriplegics and paraplegics helped him better understand his injury and what awaited him.
Sherwin added that the Rolling Inspiration magazine in the Bag of Hope – another initiative of QASA – that he received during his rehabilitation, was encouraging as he saw people in a similar situation living his life.
In his presentation, Sherwin offered some advice as a long-standing wheelchair user. He noted the importance of exercise – something he learned early on in his journey.
“I just needed to stay fit. Whatever improvements come after is a bonus. I just needed to stay mentally and physically fit,” he recalled.
Sherwin urged members to plan their days in advance to make accommodations for the inevitable barriers they will face (for example unreliable transport), and to make it easier on the people that assist. He also encouraged members to build a contact list of people they can reach out to, or who could reach out to their networks for support.
When asked how Sherwin has accepted his situation, he said he doesn’t think anyone really makes peace with their injury.
“You never really accept it, but you learn to deal with it. It also depends on family support,” he shared. While support is important, Sherwin urged members to ask if they are where they want to be, and then do something about it. “You can visit your family,” he laughingly said.
“Prior to your disability, you had a plan. You need to revisit the plan” and get on with it, he urged. QASA encourages members to get involved in the peer support programme. For more information, reach out to the organisation at info@qasa.co.za or 031 767 0352.
Exercising for a better quality life
Co-founder of and biokineticist at Enable Centre, Rob Evans spoke about the need for exercise. Many wheelchair users live a sedentary lifestyle. Rob warned that physical inactivity is equivalent to chain smoking with regards to the health risks it poses. He advised getting at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week in sessions of at least 20 to 30 minutes. Exercise is classified as moderate when you are out of breath, but still able to speak.
Rob encouraged both aerobic exercises, which are good for heart health, and strength, which builds muscles and improves bone density. Wheelchair users are at a higher risk of fracturing bones. Building bone density and muscle can prevent fractures, but also improve quality of life as you grow older.
Regularly exercise offers other health benefits like better bladder and bowel health, better circulation, improved mood, and relief of pain and spasticity. Surprising, Rob encouraged participants to move when experiencing pain, depending on the level of pain. If, for example, your shoulders are sore when pushing your chair, Rob advised reverse pushing so that the shoulder gets opposite movement. Be sure to take the movement slowly and controlled so as not to hurt yourself.
He also recommends standing for a few minutes every day, if possible, as this assists to strengthen your bone structure. This can be done by pulling oneself upright and locking your knees. The team at Enable Centre can offer more assistance and advise. Contact them on 021 879 1062 or admin@enablecentre.org.
“You don’t need fancy machines to exercise. You just need to set aside time and get it done,” Rob said. “The hardest time is setting aside the time. Set an alarm to do you 20 to 30 minutes and ask a family member to keep you accountable.” He recommended also searching for adaptive exercises on Youtube.
Mentally adjusting
With a spinal cord injury comes a lot of unknowns that have a toll on mental health. Teneille Evans, neuropsychologist and clinical psychologist, noted that there is an adjustment period after a spinal cord injury that can take years. As time passes, there are new adjustments, which can hinder the process, for example, when you go home after rehabilitation and have to get to life at home. While adjusting to the new normal, there will be good and bad days.
These will often be influenced by the many hidden losses and consequences of your life after a spinal cord injury. For example, you might experience a change in your role within your family or in your personality. You might battle with the loss of privacy as you may require assistance. Then there are other factors like disrupted sleep from being turned throughout the night or pain that can influence your mood.
While “bad” days or feelings of sadness are normal, it is important to know when you might be experiencing depression. Teneille explains that depression is feeling the same intensity of sadness consistently for at least two weeks. She notes that depression might be expressed as anger as it is easier to express than sadness.
If you are experiencing any thoughts of self-harm or suicide, it is an emergency situation and you should seek immediate assistance. You can contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) suicide crisis helpline on 0800 567 567 if you need assistance.
