National Rehabilation Center for PWDs (NRCD)

Yesterday visited the National Rehabilitation Center and the National Vocational Rehabilitation Center for PWDs at Saitama Prefecture. I think that's Masaki's hometown, right? It's about 1 hour drive from Tokyo.Took the photo from the brochure..show you how big the center is. There's admin building, hospital, training center, dormitories, driving range, baseball field, college, research center and other stuff.... it's huge! The Japanese government started building it around 1979 to meet the needs of PWDs. The center offers training in independent living, transition suport for employment and other stuff. Want to find out more... http://www.rehab.go.jp/English/

Each of our countries flag at the conference room.

Showing us the room the occupational therapist train PWDs using the wheelchair how to bathe.
More photos. We are not allowed to take any photos unless there's no patient around....and this room has no one so we were happily snapping pictures.

Laundry room. Most of them have Intellectual disabilities. They are receiving training and at the same time the hospital staffs uniform get's washed & iron.

This hand looks very real..... or is it a real hand?

One of the guy explaining to us the about the hands & legs at the Prosthetics & Orthotics Laboratory.
Visited the Vocational Rehabilitation Center in the afternoon which is next to the NRCD. Unfortunately we are not allowed to take any photos of in the center so only got this of the logo. There's Prof. Terashima on the right who gave us a short lecture on the rehabilitaion process. The NVRCD gives vocational training to PWDs so they are equip with the skills to be employ. Courses they offer there...Mechatronics, Interior Design, IT, business management, practical work (specially for intellectual disabilities) like, office work, hotel service & product distribution. There you can also get vocational counselling and job coach support once you found a job. WOW. If only we have such a center in Malaysia. Not only good facilities but good well trained staff. Even the roads outside the center is barrier free with tactiles for the blind and wider walkway so the trainees can come to the center independently. Overall when I look at the trainess there, there's something I see in all of them...HOPE.