New garden project open to all Exciting, new specialist unit

Trust supportfor CaulfieldIn the last 12 months, Caulfield Hospital has received generoussupport from philanthropic trusts, which will result in three newmajor pieces of equipment that will further improve the careour patients receive.Collier Charitable Fund continued its long support of the hospital witha $30,000 grant for a specialised portable ultrasound machine, to beused in the hospital’s spasticity clinic. It will benefit patients who sufferfrom debilitating spasticity following damage to the brain, spinal cordor nervous system. They will now enjoy a pain-free and more effectivetreatment of the botulinum toxin injections required to relieve or loosenmuscle stiffness that can severely hamper mobility.Dr Peter New, who works within the clinic, said: “Collier’s generositywill mean these patients will no longer have to undergo the painful,multiple stimulation of the muscles with electricity bolts to find the rightspot within the muscle to inject. The ultrasound will allow us to injectthe precise spot in a less painful way.”The hospital’s podiatry department will also benefit from philanthropicsupport, with The Honda Foundation providing a recent grant of$10,000. These funds will be used towards purchasing a pedar device– an in-shoe dynamic pressure measuring system, which accuratelymeasures the pressure distribution between the foot and the shoe.Diabetes patients, in particular, will benefit from this device as theneuropathy they have means they cannot feel pain on their feet andare therefore unaware of the danger they are in. A pressure sore canbe catastrophic, resulting in the amputation of a toe, foot or limb forpatients with diabetes.And finally, a very sophisticated, much needed piece of equipmenthas arrived, thanks to a generous donation from the Ian Rollo CurrieEstate Foundation.The foundation funded a power assisted bariatric tilt in spacewheelchair, costing over $22,000. It will be used for the hospital’sbigger patients who have complex, debilitating neurological or spinalproblems. It will help patients experience some independence andmobility, while ensuring they can participate in rehabilitation.The power assisted bariatric tilt in space wheelchair donated by the Ian Rollo CurrieEstate Foundation.Dr Michael Chou, head of rehabilitation services, says the foundation’ssupport is “truly fantastic”.“These patients tend to be with us for several months as inpatients.As they have no trunk control, they would fall out of a normalwheelchair. It is a hugely expensive piece of equipment and we areextremely grateful to the Ian Rollo Currie Estate Foundation for theirongoing support of Caulfield Hospital.”Delving into the brainCaulfield Hospital is celebrating the results of one of its clinicaltrials, which has shown a significant, positive finding in slowingthe progression of Alzheimer’s disease.Caulfield was one of a number of sites involved in the global trial,in which 2000 patients participated worldwide. The drug worksby attacking the protein amyloid, which is widely thought to causeAlzheimer’s disease. Participants received monthly infusions of anantibody that recognises amyloid as an invader. The infused antibodythen binds to the protein, allowing its removal, with the aim being toslow the progress of the disease.Director of aged psychiatry, Associate Professor Stephen Macfarlane saidthe Eli Lily funded trial is one of the first to deliver a significant benefit.“We have been involved in giving patients infusions of this drug sincelate 2009 and we’re excited to see a significant result. Those onthe drug experienced a slower cognitive decline than those on theplacebo,” A/Prof Macfarlane said.A/Prof Steve Macfarlane.“This is the best disease modifying drug so far. While we currently havedrugs that temporarily treat symptoms, no drug has really worked toslow the process. This is a new frontier. All patients who completed theoriginal trial are now on the active drug as part of an extension study.”