Physiotherapy

Support for members:

  • to maintain fitness for community living.
  • to consolidate movement skills learned in early rehabilitation.
  • to explore new activities within SAS and increase confidence to direct their own activities in the wider community.
  • to find enjoyment in movement and understand the health benefits of arising from all forms of regular activity.

Support for carers, advice, education, sharing in defining the aims for individuals.

Tailored support to allow participation in the group’s wider activities.  (Fun run, sponsored walk, other outings).

Provide feedback to members regarding their progress in movement or fitness outcomes.

Assisting members to become self-monitoring of their performance.

Physiotherapy Activities

A group exercise session – Tuesdays 9.30 am, Fridays 9.30 am.

50 minute/one hour activity session per week, a maximum of 5-6 per group. Activities are related to personal goals and dependent on ability – 9.30 am Tuesday, 11 am Friday.  Participation on roughly a 6 to 12 week basis, subject to availability.

A physical MOT or drop in session – Tuesday 11 am.  An opportunity to get quick advice or guidance on physical problems.

Encouragement to use walking and mobility skills around the centre during participation in other activities, with the support of the volunteers.

A home programme of exercise (for those who wish), to work on skills between sessions.

Recreational pedalling, individuals own choice to participate.

Outdoor walking +/- park equipment (weather and staffing dependent).

Active games with technology (staffing dependent).

Physiotherapy facilities

All equipment used in our sessions is chosen to enable members to cross activities over into their home environments.

Speech and Language Therapy

Role of Speech and Language Therapy in Stroke

Approximately half of people have difficulty with communication after a stroke and it is the role of a Speech and Language Therapist to assess, diagnose and advise on the level of impairment throughout recovery, this is usually done in the acute phase of recovery (Stroke Association, 2015).  We look at how well a person can understand information, both spoken and written and how well they can express themselves, including all ways of communicating, such as drawing and gesture.  The term aphasia is used to describe language impairment following a stroke.

Living with Aphasia in the Community

Aphasia is a long term condition and while some people do make a full recovery of speech the Stroke Association estimates that 30-43% of people with aphasia will remain severely affected in the long term.  Research has shown that confidence, opportunities to communicate and supportive conversation partners have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life post stroke and that this does not always correlate with level of impairment (Kagan et al 2001).

Role of Speech and Language Therapy at Success After Stroke

By facilitating a group like SAS we are providing the opportunity and the optimal environment for developing and maintaining communication.  By establishing friendships with other group members, building confidence and self-esteem through participation and supporting people to adjust to life post stroke.  We use our specialist skills to observe, listen and adjust our communication styles to enable all members to understand and participate in the group.  We ensure when planning our groups that all information is accessible and provided in multiple formats to support each individual’s understanding. We also encourage members to use written key words, pictures, gesture and drawing to support speech and understanding, we call this supported conversation.

Speech and Language Therapy Groups at Success After Stroke

Speech and Language Therapy groups are run on Tuesday and Friday.

Tuesday – small group for members who have specific communication difficulties, 11 am – 12 noon.

Friday – two communication/conversation groups are run for approximately one hour each. The first group is for members with specific communication impairments, 9.30 am – 10.30 am.  The second group is open to any member, including those in the first group, 11 am – 12 noon.

All groups are facilitated by a qualified Speech and Language Therapist assisted by Success After Stroke volunteers.

As qualified community Therapists we are able to arrange onward referrals to appropriate NHS or private therapists if a member has a specific concern that requires intensive one-to-one therapy.

Group Aims

Tuesday (11 am) and Friday (First group, 9.30 am)
  • To provide an opportunity for supported conversation.
  • To provide time for members to contribute to everyday interactions through optimising their communication skills.
  • To provide an opportunity for members to increase their confidence in interactions with others.
  • To monitor interaction and maintenance of communication skills.
Friday (Second group, 11 am)
  • To involve every group member in seeking and giving opinions.
  • To provide an opportunity for members to hear others points of view and increase confidence in communicating their own thoughts and feelings.
  • To provide opportunities for those members with communication impairments to be supported in interacting within a larger group.

Mental Well-Being Therapist

These sessions are run on Tuesday or Friday mornings on a one to one basis and are open to both members and their carers. Techniques used include:

Coaching:  aims to set achievable goals whilst being supported & encouraged along the way.

Empathetic Listening:  the session provides the opportunity for the member or carer to express their concerns and fears in a totally safe, supportive and confidential environment.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (also known as EFT or Tapping): used for both physical pain and emotional pain relief.

NLP  (Neuro Linguistic Programming): used to help re-programme the mind by releasing old & unhelpful patterns of thinking and encourage new & more positive ways of thinking.

Hypnotherapy:  used to re-programme the mind to healthier ways of thinking.

Calming breathing techniques:  aimed at giving the member or carer an easily remembered and effective way of rapidly calming the mind and body.

ENLP (Energetic Neuro-linguistic Programming):  a calming energy healing modality (similar to Reiki) which involves a gentle hands-on healing session and which also incorporates elements of NLP (see above).

Mindfulness:  encourages paying attention to the present moment rather than being anxious about what has happened or what may happen in the future. Also encourages an attitude of gratitude.