BAIL's TALES : August

Kia Ora from the team at BAIL

As we write this edition of BAIL’s Tales the future of our beloved Allan Bean Centre is looking rather fragile.

Many of you will be aware that we sustained noticeable damage in the Christchurch Earthquakes. As a consequence the engineers have been inspecting the building regularly to ensure ongoing safety of its inhabitants. The latest check has revealed the building is continuing to deteriorate and is now in such a condition that it is deemed a risk in a large aftershock. As a result we have been evacuated from the building and our working spaces. Where we end up is still uncertain however the nature of our organisation is we can continue on with our work with minimal disruption. As Ben Lucas of the NZ Spinal Trust was heard to say recently, the ABC is more than the bricks and mortar, it is the people!

STUDY UPDATES
Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) study led by Dr Debbie Snell and funded by the HRC: This cross-sectional study comparing groups of recovered and non-recovered people with MTBI matched with people with chronic pain is well in to recruitment and data collection. We hope to have all data collected by the end of 2014. A big thank you goes out to the Pain Management Service for their ongoing assistance with recruitment of chronic pain participants.

Internet and Disability study: This is a new collaboration with Massey and AUT Universities with funding from Internet NZ and Deloitte. We aim to review the barriers and facilitators for Internet use by disabled people in NZ particularly regarding access to resources for self-management of disability and health. We hope to have this review completed by mid-2015 and hope to present findings from the study at one of our peer research meetings and at the next NZ Rehabilitation Association conference.

WHAT’S COMING UP?
Thurs 14th August 12pm BAIL Research Peer Group Meeting: NEW VENUE WILL BE CONFIRMED
The next Peer Group Meeting is going ahead and all who RSVP will be informed of the new venue.
Our next Research Peer Group meeting sees young researchers Johnny Bourke and Tracey Croot presenting protocols for their PhD and masters projects respectively. If you are not on our regular invitation list and would like to be, let us know at Hans.Wouters@burwood.org.nz

NZRA clinician oriented workshop September
The NZ Rehabilitation Association is planning on presenting a clinician-orientated workshop in Christchurch in September, hosted by BAIL. Watch this space for more details about this exciting opportunity.