Pushing stroke rehabilitation well beyond the six month threshold?

Our guest speaker at the May general meeting was Jelena Ulemek, an Occupational Therapist who is a Phd Student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute,

University of Toronto. Her topic of study and research is the neuro-rehabilitation of the arm and hand following loss of function due to Stroke.

She made us aware that in recent years, there is a growing body of research evidence regarding rehabilitation interventions that have been shown effective in reducing arm and hand motor function impairments in chronic stroke (>6 months post). There are very few rehabilitation services for those in the chronic stage of stroke that work on arm and hand function.

Andy and our May speaker, Jelena Ulemek

Call for interested volunteers to participate in research:

The team of which Jelena is a member consists of occupational therapists (OT) and engineers from Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and University of Toronto Rehabilitation Sciences Institute. They are exploring how to set up rehabilitation services for chronic stroke for individuals who live in the community so that they can begin to offer effective rehabilitation interventions for arm and hand function for people many months and even years post stroke. As part of their work, they would like to collect feedback from individuals who live in the community, who are at least 6 months post-stroke, and are willing to join their study to try out their ideas and share their feedback so that they can shape their work to best meet the needs of stroke survivors.

If there are individuals interested in joining their study from Stroke Recovery Burlington, the OT would need to come back to our site two more times, roughly around 3 weeks apart, to collect feedback from individuals that choose to participate. In order for them to interview and work with with each person individually at our site, they would need a room for 1 hour per participant. No other technology or equipment is required from the site. There is flexibility in arranging days and times for visits and the OT would work with each individual to set up a days/times that work best for those involved.

SRB Goes sailing for the evening

At our April meeting we learned about an amazingly successful boating program called "Able Sail". This program places handicapped participants in the cockpit of a sailboat with access to the controls and a qualified companion to instruct and assist if necessary. The Able Sail program has been operating successfully for many years and takes place right here in Burlington at the LaSalle Park Marina.

Jim Casey, our presenter, was involved with the program from the outset and gave us an appreciation of the work that has gone into the program to ensure its success, the safety of the participants, and their thrill of being on the water and in control of a sailboat. The program is open to any person of any age (7 and up) with a physical or cognitive disability.

The website is www.burlbay.com/burlington-able-sail.php

SRB Serenaded at March Meeting

At our March membership meeting we had the pleasure of being serenaded by a highly entertaining and talented barbershop quartet from the Golden Horseshoe Chorus. This Chorus is a larger group of singers that meet weekly for fellowship and practice at St. Mathews on the Plains Parish Hall (www.ghchorus.ca/dbpage.php?pg=about).