The Heart and Stroke Foundation and Health PEI are partnering to host a series of conversations with stroke survivors to assist in the planning process of the third phase of the provincial organized stroke care program.
Stroke survivor group discussions and caregiver discussions will be held across Prince Edward Island later this May and early June. Group discussions will consist of six to nine participants per group, and stroke survivors across Prince Edward Island are encouraged to register.
“The Heart and Stroke Foundation is pleased to partner with Health PEI on this important initiative,” says Charlotte Comrie, CEO, PEI Heart and Stroke Foundation and co-chair of the Organized Stroke Care Community Re-integration Working Group. “An important part of our mission is an ongoing commitment to stroke survivors and their families and we hope to receive a good response from individuals across the province who are interested in having these discussions.”
With the first two phases of the provincial organized stroke care program underway, staff and stakeholders are now focused on Phase III planning in the area of community re-integration. As part of this work, there is an effort underway to understand the needs of stroke survivors upon their return to their home communities following treatment for stroke, as well as the needs of caregivers (friends, family, loved ones) who are assisting stroke survivors during this time.
“From these important discussions we hope to gain an understanding of the lifestyle and community-based challenges of stroke survivors so that we can work with communities across Prince Edward Island to address the ways in which we can better support stroke survivors in their transition back to daily living within their community,” says Marilyn Barrett, Director of Primary Care Networks and Chronic Disease Prevention/Management for Health PEI and co-chair of the Organized Stroke Care Community Re-integration Working Group.
For more information on the stroke survivor group discussions or to register to participate, please call the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Charlottetown office at 1.888.473.4636.
For more information on Prince Edward Island’s organized stroke care program, visit www.healthpei.ca/stroke.
Backgrounder
Organized Stroke Care promotes a coordinated approach to early detection and assessment of warning signs of stroke, and timely access to appropriate treatments and specialized health care providers.
Goals of the Organized Stroke Care program:
• Reduce the incidence of stroke on PEI
• Reduce deaths and disabilities due to stroke
• Reduce the financial burden of stroke
• Improve recovery from stroke
• Improve the quality of life for stroke survivors
Organized Stroke Care Implementation Time Line:
Phase I: Provincial-level Services (complete)
• Provincial Stroke Care Coordinator position
• Provincial Acute Stroke and Stroke Rehabilitations Units at QEH
• Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinic at PCH (pilot program)
Phase II: Ambulatory Stroke Services (implementation nearly complete)
• Ambulatory (outpatient) stroke rehab services QEH and PCH
• Provincial stroke rehabilitation assessment clinic
• Provincial Secondary Stroke Prevention Services
Phase III: Community Re-integration Services (in planning process)
• Access to therapy (out-patient or in-home)
• Community support services
Progress to Date:
So far, early results have shown positive impacts, including:
• Decrease in length of stay in hospital for acute stroke care
• Decrease in length of stay in hospital for stroke rehabilitation
• Strong program partnership with other health care initiatives and services
• Patients reporting that they are satisfied with stroke-related care they receive