Improving access to stroke rehabilitation in Barbados

06 Sep 2022 Stroke support

The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc. works in collaboration with the public health care system to ensure people who have a stroke have early access to rehabilitation in the community.

The Heart Foundation of Barbados was founded in 1985 and in 2006 expanded its focus to stroke, becoming the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc. The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc is committed to ensuring that its many residents do not become statistics due to cardiovascular disease.

In this blog we hear from Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Valerie Alleyne, a Registered Nurse about the foundation’s stroke rehabilitation programme.

Why is the stroke rehabilitation programme run by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc. so important in Barbados?

The stroke rehabilitation programme is important because at the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB) we deliver a multidisciplinary approach in stroke rehabilitation in a period that is crucial for optimal outcomes in the recovery of our stroke clients. Research has shown that early rehabilitative interventions can vastly improve functional outcomes. The ideal scenario is a client receiving therapy quickly after the stroke event. Sadly, this is not so in our society because there is an increased number of persons experiencing a stroke compared to the over-stretched and over-worked public health care system. Therefore, HSFB continues to improve its stroke rehabilitation programme to assist in working along with the public health care system to help cater to this increasing need within our society. In addition, the dedicated support group within this programme also helps to cater to the psychosocial needs of our clients. After a stroke, many clients are depressed because of their various limitations. The support group has helped clients to cope and adapt better to their limitations and find hope for the future.

Do you collaborate with other organisations or professionals to deliver the programme?

At present, we collaborate with consultants and professional volunteers to adequately deliver the necessary elements for this programme. However, there is still a need for greater collaboration because of the great demands for services within our community.

What have been some of the outcomes of the programme so far?

Stroke survivors meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The activities are planned and guided by the occupational therapist and the rehabilitation therapy technician. Specific activities for individuals cater to specific deficits and general activities are done collectively. Since the introduction of a more concentrated rehabilitation programme we have clients who have testified about the progress they have made. Some clients who have issues with depression and anxiety have reported that the programme has made them feel better about themselves. One of our clients who was fearful of driving is now driving to rehabilitation. These testimonies have shown us the relevance of the programme and the need to ensure it remains sustainable and efficient to meet the growing stroke survivor population within our nation.

‘’I joined the programme at the beginning of March 2022 after suffering a stroke on the 16th of January 2022. I am proud to say that with all the diverse types of therapy, and the kind support from the nurses and all the staff of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados, I am on my way to recovery. I am again able to use my right hand, I can lift my right leg again, I am speaking a little better every day and I am eating healthy and feeling good in my body. I look forward to attending the programme every Tuesday and Thursday. On this day I get to meet others who would have suffered similar health issues, and all together we work with each other toward one common goal to be better. Some of us may be affected more than others, but with that common goal in mind, together we can do it.’’ Golda Philips – stroke survivor

For more information about the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc. please visit https://www.hsfbarbados.org/

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