MELAKA: 45 delegates from the International Social Security Association (ISSA) took time off from their busy schedules to visit the Tun Razak Rehabilitation Centre (TRRC) here, recently.
The delegates, representing social security agencies and labour ministries around the world got a first-hand experience of the award winning facilities and services at TRRC.
The delegates were in Kuala Lumpur to attend the ISSA’s Technical Seminar on Digitalisation - New Forms of Work: Focusing on occupational risks seminar from Feb 18-19.
The seminar was jointly organised by the Technical Commission on Contribution Collection and Compliance, the Technical Commission on Insurance against Employment Accidents and Occupational Diseases, and the Special Commission on Prevention of ISSA.
The TRRC is focused on helping injured workers recover physically, spiritually and vocationally and finally return to work for a better life and social integration.
“At TRRC, we focus on investing in people, which includes everyone eligible, regardless of their socioeconomic background and medical conditions.
“We focus on their abilities and functional capacities and not their disabilities,” said Socso Tun Abdul Razak Rehabilitation Centre executive director, Dr Hafez Hussain
During their visit, the delegates toured the facility which included the physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, return to work and vocational training and Neuro-Robotics Rehabilitation and Cybernics Centre which is equipped with the Cyberdyne Hybrid Assistive Limb, the world’s first wearable cyborg-type robot for the treatment of paralysis and weakening of limbs.
During the tour, Dr Hafez also explained that cultural activities were part of the bio-psychosocial approach in the rehabilitation process that promoted participation from all those involved.
“We look at every individual holistically in deciding the comprehensive rehabilitation programme that enhances creativity but most importantly that creates social solidarity and cohesion, fosters social inclusion, and community empowerment,” he said.
The delegates also got the opportunity to witness a kuda kepang dance, which is a traditional folk dance from Johor accompanied by music instruments such as gong, drum and angklung.
The dance was performed by the spinal cord injury (SCI) and amputee patients and choreographed by the therapists and case manager.
They also experienced first-hand at making kites (wau) which is part of TRRC’s cognitive rehabilitation activity.
“The occupational therapist uses creative activities as a medium of therapy such as arts and crafts.
“In wau making, the usage of both hands and both sides of the brain are crucial and patients use these elements which can further strengthen their whole brain," said Dr Hafez.
He said patients developed concentration, attention, persistence and self-evaluation skills and it also encouraged interaction with others.
Other activities witnessed by the delegates during their tour included batik canting which is aimed at improving cognitive functions of the brain and fine motor skills.
They also saw patients participating in traditional kuih making at the vocational culinary and bakery workshop.
There, they got a taste of few local delicacies such as pulut kuning, chicken sate, nasi lemak, ubi rebus, coconut lempeng (pancake), roti jala and others.
To end their tour and as part of the recent Chinese New Year celebrations, delegates witnessed a lion dance performance on stilts.