Volunteer at AHC!

Hello everybody, my name is Annika and I am a physiotherapist from Germany, who has the honour of working in the AHC for the next months. I have been here for one month now and I start to feel quite comfortable. There are so many special moments I have already experienced at AHC, but the Homecare department the one part of my work I feel needs to be mentioned!

Home Care means that not the patient comes to the hospital, but that the hospital comes to the patient. So who ever and whatever is needed gets into the van and we go. Sometimes we take nurses, doctors or physiotherapists. The project is designed for families who need regular health check ups and live so far off or are too poor to afford to come to Siem Reap on a regular basis. The kinds of patients we see are for example children with HIV or for the physiotherapists most of the neurological cases, with developmental delay, brain injuries or complex handicaps.

First of all it’s an adventure to see what happens when you don’t speak the same language as the child or the parents. Sometimes it takes hand and feet to get an understanding, despite the colleague who tries to translate as good as possible.

The next challenge is to get a proper treatment without the material we are used to in the west. I have to admit that the material is sometimes too much in Germany, but here it’s just the other way around. Last week we didn’t have a balance board for example, so we talked to the father and he built one out of a bamboo stick and a wooden plank. Like this it is most of the time. The patients live in rural areas, where you cannot buy anything (and they wouldn’t have the money anyways!) so you have to be creative to get what you want!

Last but not least it’s always a big thing when we come out. So sometimes all the neighbours and relatives will show up and watch you during the therapy. Not to mention all the children. For someone who is not used to company during treatment this can be something!

For me this is all new! And I hope to get a better stand in this department. I really like the neurological aspect of this work and I am glad to get an opportunity like this!

This is a great project and I am happy that it exists!