Dr Heidi Janssen, a Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and Hunter New England Local Health District physiotherapist and researcher, is determined to improve the stroke recovery experience of people in regional areas.

And, she’s doing this through her research to develop and evaluate her ESTEEM Program.

ESTEEM (Exercising, Socialising and Thinking – an Environmental Enrichment Model) is a group-based initiative, which draws upon the science of “environmental enrichment”.

Scientific evidence indicates that regular exposure it, involving a combination of physical, thinking and social activities, after stroke, can help “excite the brain” and grow the brain’s neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity is a feature of the brain that enables it to “rewire” and help a person better learn new and old skills; importantly, ones that may lie in the parts of the brain affected by their stroke (i.e., movement, talking, thinking etc).

Maximising someone’s ability to relearn after stroke can help people regain function and experience a better quality of life.

Dr Janssen is now partnering with Maitland Community Care Services to deliver the ESTEEM Program to people living with stroke in Maitland and other nearby regional towns.

First launched in the Newcastle region by Mercy Services, it’s been running successfully for close to two years.

More than 80 people living with stroke have participated in it to date.

The ESTEEM Program sees participants engage in the following activities twice a week for 10-weeks:

• 30 mins of physiotherapist-led ‘huffy puffy’ exercise (fitness and strength)
• 30 mins of socialisation over morning tea
• 90 mins of either movement to music or art

The ESTEEM Program also enables carers to take a break from their caregiving responsibilities, benefiting people with stroke and carers alike.

“Results from our pilot research reveals that the ESTEEM Program encourages better physical recovery, mood and quality of life, but we need to do more research involving many more people, to know this for sure,” Dr Janssen said.

“Our program sees participants together, work hard, try new and fun activities and share experiences and celebrate each other’s successes.

“For example, the creative activities of movement to music and art are often very novel for people; many have never ever tried these activities before in their life.

“They are hesitant at first, but with reassurance and support from the team and their peers and many laughs, they not only end up embracing the activities, but become very skilled in them.

“One can only imagine how this novel activity ‘excites’ their recovering brains.”

Dr Janssen has gathered a large mix of stroke clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience of stroke and their carers to build the ESTEEM After Stroke Team.

This team and other project partners, including Mercy Services and Maitland Community Care Services, deliver and evaluate this program thanks to the support of many; a generous HMRI Philanthropic Donor, the federally-funded Medical Research Future Fund scheme, and with her partners, NSW Ministry of Health and Aged Care Industry and Innovation Research grants.

“We need as many people living with stroke as possible to participate in the ESTEEM Program research,” Dr Janssen said.

“I am very determined to and passionate about ensuring all stroke survivors can access evidence-based recovery care.

“Where people choose to live should not determine their recovery and quality of life after stroke.”

Want to get involved or know someone affected by stroke? Connect with the ESTEEM Team.

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 0456 742 565
• Visit: bit.ly/ESTEEMstroke
• Follow on: Facebook ESTEEMAfterStroke
• Instagram esteem_stroke

Learn the signs of stroke. F.A.S.T – Face Arm Speech Time

• If see the signs of stroke, think FAST and phone 000 (triple zero)

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