Healing strokes: Virtually improving stroke survivors and caregivers' well-being through student-run art therapy support group
Stroke
; 53(SUPPL 1), 2022.
Article
in English
| EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1724031
ABSTRACT
Background:
Depression and anxiety impact recovery and quality of life in 1 in 3 stroke survivors. Caregivers also experience burnout. Creative art-based therapy boosts feelings of accomplishment, self-esteem, and neuroplasticity by stimulating diverse brain regions. Few outpatient art therapy programs exist for stroke survivors and caregivers, limited further during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to implement an outpatient, student-run virtual art therapy curriculum using a patient-carer team approach to foster a supportive peer community, reduce depressive symptoms in survivors, and increase relief for caregivers.Methods:
A multidisciplinary team of stroke physician, nurse, occupational therapist, clinic managers, and undergraduate student volunteers created an evidenced-based art therapy curriculum feasible for stroke survivors. An art educator trained volunteers in empathetic communication, teaching techniques, and patient privacy. Participants pre-registered for weekly 1 hour classes held via video conference and received art materials by mail. We administered surveys at initial registration and quarterly. An institutional grant provided funding.Results:
From September 2020 - July 2021, Healing Strokes hosted 30 classes using the curriculum (Table 1) for 71 survivors and caregivers from 9 states at a 15 volunteer-to-participant ratio. 20 participants (14 survivors, 6 caregivers) self-reported benefits of peer support, creative inspiration, increased sense of accomplishment, and improvement in speech and fine motor skills.Conclusion:
Implementation of a virtual outpatient art-based therapy program for stroke survivors and caregivers is feasible with participants self-reporting benefits in functional recovery and mood. Post-stroke supportive care programs can expand to include art therapy during a pandemic. Future studies can validate the impact on peer support, function, and post-stroke depression and anxiety. (Figure Presented).
adult; anxiety; art therapy; brain region; burnout; caregiver; case report; cerebrovascular accident; clinical article; conference abstract; coronavirus disease 2019; curriculum; depression; doctor nurse relation; female; funding; human; male; manager; mood; motor performance; multidisciplinary team; nerve cell plasticity; occupational therapist; outpatient; pandemic; peer group; post-stroke depression; privacy; quality of life; self esteem; speech; stroke survivor; support group; teaching; undergraduate student; videoconferencing; wellbeing
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
EMBASE
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Journal:
Stroke
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS