Hunter Medical Research Institute in partnership with ADSSI Ltd trading as Maitland Community Care Services has been awarded an ARIIA grant for their project ‘The ESTEEM Program: Implementation and evaluation of an evidenced-based model of stroke recovery in the aged care sector’.
This project aims to implement then evaluate the benefits and sustainability of The ESTEEM Program when delivered by ADSSI - Maitland Community Care Services. The ESTEEM Program was co-designed (built) in collaboration with stroke survivors, carers, health professionals, and creative professionals to support current and future survivors of stroke living in regional areas. This project will see research translation of the evidenced-based paradigm of "environmental enrichment". Exposure to environmental enrichment after stroke facilitates plasticity (re-wiring) of the brain, resulting in better functional recovery after stroke.
The 2.5 hour ESTEEM Program, delivered twice a week over ten weeks, will provide stroke survivors with a combination of physiotherapist-prescribed exercises, socialisation, and creative arts (eg. art OR dance), resulting in regional stroke survivors and carers living with a better quality of life, social networks, and emotional health long after their participation has ended.
This project will support workforce and research capacity building in the aged care sector of this rapidly expanding regional community. Successful implementation of a program of this nature within regional community-based aged care services will provide stroke survivors with sustainable access to recovery and rehabilitation long-term after this grant funding ends.