Physiotherapy In Japan

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 14

Physiotherapy In Japan

There was a tremendous need fur physiotherapists in Japan, said Miss R. Nunley, an American who for the last two yean has been lecturing at the first school established in Japan to teach the subject She said in Christchurch that one in 40 of Japan's total population of 100 m wore physically disabled, and of these about 10 per cent required hospital physical therapy. Miss Nunley went to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese Government

"The school of rehabilitation is located at Kiyosemachi, a suburb of Tokyo. There are about 120 students and the school offers a programme in physical and occupational therapy,” she said. First Graduates The first students graduated in 1865 and last year the five Americans on the staff had graduates from the first . class as their teaching assistants. "This April most at the lee- ' taring will be in Japanese.” Of the five Americans on I the staff, three taught full time physical therapy while the other two were clinical in- • structure. In this they were assigned to various hospitals

to supervise students in clinical practices, she said. The school was established jointly by the World Health Organisation and the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. Different Approach The rehabilitation of the physically handicapped in lapan differed in practice from what was done in the United States, said Miss Nunley. “The Japanese think in terms of establishing colonies for the diMbled rather than putting them in a home environment, and on the surface this seems very objective."

She said the first such community centre for the handicapped had just been built by the Government Miss Nunley taught at the Medical School of the University of North Carolina before going to Japan. She holds a master’s degree In anatomy. At present she is touring New Zealand on holiday while on her way back to the United States. There she hopes to work as a consultant on medical assistants’ programmes to the North Carolina Department of Education.

Miss Nunley was guest speaker yesterday at a luncheon held by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canterbury in the society’s hall in St Asaph Street