I worked with a women named Greta just after her discharge from Geriatric rehabilitation. She sustained a right side CVA resulting in left side paresis, her left hand completely flaccid, only able to move with active assist. She, as normally the case, was suffering from deep depression due to the effects of the insult.

I tried to keep things simple with Greta. I set her up in a straight back chair and to start with used a surface lower than a table top, actually knee level, a good starting point for Greta. She began repetitions with her unaffected hand., placing graded pegs on the board and than removing them--a total of about two hundred repetitions.

She did this twice daily for several weeks. Using her unaffected hand brought many rewards, it built her confidence and strengthened her functioning arm and hand to enable her to hold her effected arm in the coming weeks.

Greta now in the fourth week, began to use her non functioning hand, only in the first few days did I actively support her arm. On the fourth day Greta was using her functioning arm to support the other. She in addition, was able to grasp and release (self support with functioning arm) not only the gross pegs but the fine prehensions as well. This feat, as many of us know, takes grit and sweltering determination.

The story ends well, Greta, after 3 months of working the board twice daily, obtained full upper arm return. This victory gave Greta the courage to begin working on the left leg... she reports several months latter success with this as well.

Soon, I will provide a page for success stories like these. Welcome, also, are tips in any area of motor recovery, as well as, problem areas...

Thank You for your time
Rose Goodwin