DVD breakthrough for stroke rehabilitation

8 September 2006

DVD breakthrough for stroke rehabilitation

Every hour one Kiwi suffers a stroke. Four out of ten people with stroke are younger than 65 years. Two out of ten people die within the first month of stroke onset, and approximately two thirds of stroke survivors remain disabled and dependent on others in their everyday activities.

Despite all these devastating consequences of stroke, the availability of training educational and rehabilitation tools for stroke survivors and their families has been very limited.

Now, a world first in stroke rehabilitation has been produced in New Zealand - a set of three DVDs with comprehensive and medically accurate procedures designed specifically for stroke victims and their families.

Produced under the direction of Professor Valery Feigin of Auckland University, the visual learning technique employed is a substantial advance in the treatment of stroke recovery.

"The unique feature of the DVDs is that most of the educational and training procedures are presented by stroke survivors and their family caregivers. Sufferers will see that they are not alone and if others can do it, they can too," said Professor Feigin.

The DVD’s have been endorsed by world-leading stroke and rehabilitation professional organisations - the World Stroke Federation and the World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation, and are supported by internationally renowned stroke experts.

The DVDs were developed in New Zealand by Stroke Education Ltd under the leadership of Professor Feigin, who is internationally renowned as a stroke expert. The basis for the DVDs is his best selling book 'When Lightning Strikes – an illustrated guide to stroke prevention and recovery', published by HarperCollins in 2004.

Inspired by the huge potential for a better lifestyle for stroke sufferers, Professor Feigin says stroke is not the end of the world for stroke survivors and their families. “There is always potential for improvement. Capacity of the brain to recover after stroke is enormous and often continues for months and even years. Because of this, stroke survivors and their families should never give up their fight for recovery and better independence”.

One of the world's leading experts in stroke, American Professor Antonio Culebras said: “The educational programmes contained in these DVDs are the keys to improving quality of life post-stroke. It is like having a personal trainer and health professional available 24/7”.

ENDS

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