A 55 year old Brahmin woman who suffered a stroke- CVA

This was my first home visit. Initially she came to the centre with two family members. She is 6-8 months post CVA ( Stroke with left hemiparesis) and is walking independently with stand by assistance. Kedar did his physio treatment working on passive movements of her arm and leg and walking technique . I asked if she could sit on the floor and get up to stand ( important functional skills in a Nepali home . We encouraged her to start using her hand to eat food which she demonstrated as we shared fresh cucumber topped with salt and chilli ( Nepalese people don’t use utensils so the hands are very important, usually the right hand ) . I didn’t have the courage to venture down the track of toileting, having only just formed a relationship with her ( cultural practice is that the left hand is used to clean themselves after toileting . I suspected that she could still do this given she had enough hand function to make a good attempt at this or had adapted.) When I visited her home which was down a muddy dirt track ( we accessed this by motor cycle) with a very slippery steep path up to the main home ( I slipped down this when leaving and thankfully slid into Kedar who stopped me descending further! So who has the disability!) The extended family lived in 3 houses on 3 levels, the communal kitchen (photo) on the middle level and her home up another steep muddy bank with a few concrete steps at the end. (What funding would be provided in NZ by ACC or MOH to make this home accessible?) . At present her family walk beside her to ensure her safety. We encouraged her to start making roti again, doing a few household chores and not to enclose her arm in her Pashmina when walking but to let her arm swing free. She had a very cheerful disposition and seemed to enjoy our visit but was keen for us to leave so that she could attend the monthly local women’s committee meeting where Kedar and Ganga say all sorts of things are discussed, even down to mistreatment of women by their husbands. The committee have been known to send a representative to sort him out. Neighbourhood watch takes on a new focus. Could be a good thing to adopt in our culture ....maybe?

The kitchen . A clay oven and a gas ring , mud floors cleanly swept copper and aluminium or stainless steel cookware , jugs , plates and cups . You sit on the floor on the rice mats to eat .