A non-governmental organisation, the African Footprints Foundation in Cape Coast, has inaugurated a rehabilitation centre to support the recovery of persons living with dementia and psychomotor challenges.
The facility, named the African Footprints Rehabilitation Centre, will combine physiotherapy and music and dance as therapeutic tools and provide care and support for persons who may have suffered illness, including stroke, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, towards recovery.
The foundation uses music, drumming and dance to break down social barriers and enable people to interact and collaborate across differences in social background and heritage.
The visionary and founder of the foundation, Samuel Kweku Addison, noted that music and dance had been recognised as having a significant impact on the recovery of persons with psychomotor difficulties and dementia.
He said music and dance were languages that transcended boundaries and could bring people together for growth and healing, adding that the role of music and dance remained crucial in every human community as social beings.
For several years, the African Footprints Foundation in Cape Coast has used traditional music and dance to connect Ghana to other parts of the world, particularly Denmark.
The rehabilitation centre, a collaboration with its Denmark partner, African Footprints International and Globus, will further promote capacity development, educational and cultural exchanges, and strengthen ties between the two countries.
Road of recovery
Mr Addison said that from his work with health institutions, it was realised that music and dance, particularly Ghanaian music and dance, could have a great impact on helping sick persons recover.
He said discussions with the African Footprints International and with support from Globus resulted in the setting up of the facility.
The facility, he said, would run with support from the VIA University College, Aarhus Municipality in Denmark, the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) hospital.
Already, he said, 24 physiotherapist students and their supervisors were in the country to support work at the centre.
Mr Addison said a permanent facility to host the centre was being built and would be ready soon, emphasising that it would be free of charge for persons with psychomotor challenges.
He, therefore, urged both persons with such challenges and able-bodied individuals to make use of the facility.
Music and healing
The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Jakob Lunulf, said there was something about music and dance that brought healing.
He indicated that the vibrancy and spirit of Ghanaian music was unique and had been used for sick persons and elderly people in Denmark to bring significant healing and joy to them.
The Board Chairperson of the African Footprints International in Denmark, Maj Morgenstjerne, for her part, said the collaboration would promote learning and enhance the capacity of personnel from the two countries.
The next stage, she indicated, was to intensify awareness of the centre in the area to get the communities to benefit from the facility.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh