Each Friday since July 2010, Dr Balchin and various ARNI instructors in North West London trained stroke survivor groups at the Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex.
The evaluation and training was sponsored by the Hillingdon Council. The Hillingdon Hospital physiotherapists (lead therapist Jackie O'Dowd) identified 4 groups of 6 to 8 community stroke survivor each. Each group received twelve weeks of training by Dr Balchin and instructors.
The evaluation was performed by the Brunel University team (Drs Cherry Kilbride, Meriel Norris and Amir Mogedeghi). The preliminary results were accepted as a late-breakinng trial for the UKSF Conference. Early indications suggest that functional balance (Berg Balance Scale) and timed walking (10m walk test) have improved. Data from completed focus groups identified a positive influence of inclusion in the classes. Specifically participants highlighted the benefits of the ‘normality’ of the exercises and the variety of abilities and people within the group.
Here is just one write up from our files, from a stroke survivor's husband:
Neil Gordon - husband of stroke survivor trained by ARNI
I am perforce the full-time carer for my wife Birgit Gordon who had a major stroke in early April 2010. Until that event I was the CEO of my own international Food and Agricultural Marketing company and travelling extensively in the UK and abroad.
My wife has participated in a Hillingdon Council supported ARNI Stroke Rehabilitation course during the last three months of 2010. The manual is being used by me in a domestic situation as a guide and enhancement to the rehab exercises demonstrated on that course.
This is a superb training manual with a very extensive range of exercises and techniques clearly described. As a specialist training manual for those running and demonstrating physical stroke rehabilitation techniques in a gymnasium, it is to be hoped that this manual will be become a “bible”.
At a domestic level it is easy for an individual survivor or carer to absorb and put into practice for the stroke victim – in my case for a 73 year old lady unused to significant physical exercise. The ARNI-directed course at the excellent Hillingdon Leisure facilities has been superb for my wife, her self-confidence and well-being, and I observed at several levels for the other eight or nine survivors:
1 Providing an environment of trusted instructors and support in a perfect location. It was also significant that this was outside the daily personal relationship of the carer.
2 The instructors themselves clearly demonstrated the exercises and techniques, and the safe way to perform them while providing physical support for those who needed it.
3 The peer pressure and companionship of other stroke survivors was a huge accompaniment to the exercises demonstrated. Furthermore the fact that the inspirational leader, Tom Balchin, himself was a stroke survivor and able to show what he had achieved – albeit much younger than most and a highly motivated individual!
4 As we are all very well aware the recovery from a stroke is different for each individual according to severity of the physical and mental impairment suffered, the individual age and motivation, and the acceptance of the benefits of practice and exercise. This stroke rehabilitation exercise programme has to be seen in the context of a fully rounded rehabilitation effort by several agencies including the hospitals, the GPs, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, speech and language professionals, etc. I clearly observed that the ARNI programme supported the stroke survivors in various ways including bringing together a group of survivors with many similar issues, providing a forum for them to discuss some of these issues while providing a real sense of achievement from the exercises themselves. This rounded benefit is in my experience not being achieved by any of the other agencies which are unable to provide a sense of co-ordination.
Birgit has made great strides in her ability and confidence to perform “seemingly insignificant” (though important for her personally) activities including cooking for eight people at Christmas, looking after a 2 year old grandchild, carrying a vacuum cleaner down the stairs, etc. All this is contributing to the possibility of us rebalancing our previously very full lives. Thank you for helping to bring back my wife of more than 40 years! We both look forward to continuing the programme.
