The Algarve now has a simulator that will help people with reduced mobility or motor disabilities to get back to driving. The equipment is installed at the Southern Medical and Rehabilitation Centre (CMR Sul), in São Brás de Alportel, and will serve not only the region, but also the Alentejo.
In a press release, the Algarve Local Health Unit (ULSAlg) explains that the equipment “is intended for people with reduced mobility or motor disabilities and allows a clinical assessment, made from an interdisciplinary point of view, of their disabilities in order to promote, in a simulation context, necessary adaptations so that these people can once again drive a car autonomously”.
During a visit to the facilities of this new component of the intensive rehabilitation programme of the CMR Sul, João Ferreira, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Algarve Local Health Unit, explained that “this new service will serve the entire population of the Algarve, as well as people from neighbouring regions such as Alentejo, and will be open to the entire country, and even to foreigners, who have this need”.
“It is an investment that is made in the NHS to serve and meet these specific needs of people,” he added.
From a practical point of view, and as explained by Clarisse Mendes, occupational therapist responsible for the project, “this simulator allows an assessment of motor and perceptive-cognitive skills in terms of driving ability, and then allows training in a simulator”.
«In other words, from the moment we assess, in the case of a person with a disability, the adaptations needed for driving, it allows us to subsequently do training with these adaptations in various scenarios and on various circuits (with heavy traffic, in an urban environment, in rain, at night, etc.). Therefore, we end up having a varied range of scenarios for training before moving on to the adapted vehicle, with the adaptations that were assessed», he added.
This new facility was supported by the São Brás de Alportel City Council with regard to the renovation works of the space. In terms of human resources, this center has an interdisciplinary team composed of physiatrists, occupational therapists and psychologists.
The visit to the new space where the Vehicle Simulation and Adaptation Center is installed was also attended by Paulo Neves, from the Board of Directors of ULS Algarve, Vice-President Marlene Guerreiro and the Mayor of São Brás de Alportel Vítor Guerreiro, who highlighted the importance of this investment.
«Having the CMR Sul headquarters here, which is an exemplary rehabilitation unit and unique for the work it does, this is undoubtedly an investment that makes a difference and that will enable many people to return to their lives and society without these limitations (with regard to driving), that is our objective, hence the investment by the local authority in adapting this building», stressed the mayor, adding that «the second phase, which will come soon, will be classes in a real vehicle on the road».
The equipment is approved by the Institute of Mobility and Transport.
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