Deadline - 2014 Neuro Film Festival

SSTattler: They will not show the 2014 Neuro Film Festival date until it is firm (last year was March 22nd 2013).  I will put in ▶ Weekly Index March 29th 2014 Neuro Film Festival marked "tentative" until they firm up the date. BTW - Last year they had 80 films - 23 films (25%) about "stroke" or related topic. 

Deadline - 2014 Neuro Film Festival

Now in its fifth year, the Neuro Film Festival aims to raise awareness about the need for why more funding is needed for research into the prevention, treatment, and cure of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Submit a video telling your - or a loved one's - story about why more research is needed to find cures for brain disease.

Winners could receive up to $1,000 and a chance to attend in April 2014 the Neuro Film Festival in Philadelphia to see their video shown at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting, the world's largest meeting of neurologists. Deadline to enter is February 26, 2014.

• How to Submit a Video
• Submit A Video

Neuro Film Festival Contest Rules and Guidelines

• View the 2014 Neuro Film Festival Rules and Guidelines
• View the 2014 Neuro Film Festival Prizes and Judging Criteria
• List of Brain and Nervous System Diseases

The views expressed in the films are those of the entrants and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, the American Brain Foundation and its affiliated organizations.

Standard YouTube License @ neurofilmfest

Wanna Write a Book?

Peter G. Levine
Stronger After  Stroke Blog

Thursday, February 6, 2014

From the publisher of my book...You can email her directly (contact info, below) if you're interested. Best, -pete

"I’ve been thinking about two possible new books on stroke for our list and I wondered if you might know of anyone who might be interested in writing them:

A Caregiver’s Guide to Stroke: a handbook to help the caregiver, addressing all of the issues and best practices they should know about: creating and managing a health care team, dealing with the various physical, emotional and cognitive issues, etc. The right author would most likely be a social worker, therapist, or professional caregiver.

Myths vs. Facts on stroke: a book aimed at dispelling the myths/misinformation about the causes, treatment, physical and cognitive impact of stroke."

Julia Pastore
Executive Editor, Demos Health Publishing
jpastore@demoshealth.com

See the original article:

Wanna write a book?

in

Stronger After Stroke Blog

A Special Treat for Bob

Diane
The Pink House On The Corner

Monday, February 10, 2014

Bob rarely gets visitors, so it was a special treat for him on Sunday when his favorite Aunt and Uncle came to visit!

They are here in Florida to escape the weather up north.

I must say, it was really good to see Bob so happy and getting so much loving attention!!!

And now, it's back to normal for us---and off to the urologist today... (fun, fun)

Bob & Aunt Mary

Sex Matters: Drugs Can Affect Sexes Differently

Dean Reinke
Deans' Stroke Musing

Monday, February 10, 2014

SSTattler: Important news - read it!

And what is our stroke world doing to determine if any changes are needed for the drugs we use? (tPA, warfarin, aspirin, anti-depressants, baclofen, botox). Anything at all?

Read: Sex Matters Drugs Can Affect Sexes Differently






Copyright © 2014 CBS Interactive Inc.

See the original article:

Sex Matters: Drugs Can Affect Sexes Differently

in

Deans' Stroke Musing

"I Understand," He Said

Jo Murphey
The Murphey Saga

Monday, February 3, 2014

Confession time. They say confession is good for the soul. I know this is true. Being a minister, I've said it often enough.

This weekend from Friday to Sunday was spent in a teary eyed haze. Part of the reason was the PBA I suffer since my stroke. Part of it was the circumstance I find myself in. Another part was me being on the pity pot and just so blasted angry, frustrated, and tired. My thoughts just wouldn't stop and to be truthful I wouldn't let them. But that's not my confession. That just is.

Thursday my husband's electric wheel chair decided to quit. It sounded like something had wrapped itself around the wheel and prevented it from moving. I thought if I could tilt it I could look under the thing and maybe fix it. While I could push it and rock it, there was no way to control the fall with only one hand. Remember forethought before action. So I tried to think of another way to do it and failed. I eventually gave up and called the company I bought it from.

They picked it up and took it back to their shop. Friday morning they called with the bad news. One of the motors had fried. Because we bought it used it has no warranty. It is going to cost as much as we paid for the thing to fix this one motor and it has two. Knowing Murphy's Law so well, I figured as soon as we replace this one motor the other one will go out too. Not to mention we didn't have the funds to replace the first one.

Pregnancy

Amy Shissler
My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Feb 9, 2014

One of my favorite people just had a baby and she was telling me about some back pain that she had when she was pregnant, and continues to have. Let me tell you a little bit about the anatomy of the spine. The spine is curvy. That curve that goes in a little bit at your low back, that’s called lordosis. Move up the spine to the upper back, that curve is the opposite. This curve, the one that curves out a little bit, is called kyphosis.


Then at your neck the spine curves in a little bit again and you have some more lordosis. When all is said and done(I guess that saying doesn’t really apply here but whatever) the spine when looked at from the side should look like a backwards ‘S.’ The main thing you want to do when trying to have super duper good posture is maintain these curves.

Pregnancy causes one to have a rather large belly. When looking at a pregnant woman from the side, it appears that she has increased lordosis in her lumbar spine(increased inward curvature of the low back). However, this is an optical illusion and is not the case. Actually, in most cases pregnancy will cause the lumbar spine to be kyphotic(increased outward curvature) because the fetus is actually pushing out on the lumbar spine so instead of creating more lordosis(inward curve), kyphosis(outward curve) is created despite looking very much like the low back is much more lordotic. For each condition, increased kyphosis or increased lordosis, there are certain things that you can do to help the back pain but the first step is figuring out why you are having pain and what your spine is doing which you cannot do by just looking at the spine or saying “well you’re pregnant, this is why you have pain…”

Does that make sense? Most PTs and doctors would not say this to you. That pregnancy causes your spine to do this but I’m very much used to saying things that people disagree with so believe what you will.

See the original article:

Pregnancy

in

My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Four Years Ago

Grace Carpenter
My Happy Stroke

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The last time the Winter Olympics happened, I watched them from my bed at Spaulding Rehab.

Someone from my family would come almost every evening -- usually mother. She would help me eat, and keep me company. When it was time to watch the Olympics, she would turn on the TV and put it on the right channel. Changing the channel was still mystifying for me.

See the original article:

Four Years Ago

in

My Happy Stroke

The Visitor

Feb 5 / 2014

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog entitled the Ten Commandments of Speech Therapy; The Teaching of Talking. In it I referred to one of the concepts of treating each and every patient as a V.I.P. (Very Important Person)

Marie

Today I was paged in the hospital and asked to come to the reception area. They said there was a woman who wanted to see me. When I arrived at the reception area, there was Marie, a woman who brought her husband for speech therapy with me; must have been for about 6 months. I worked with them three times a week. We laughed and cried together; any problem they had would be discussed in therapy as part of her husband’s speech and language stimulation. We could talk about anything….. and that’s what made the therapy so powerful for them.

She kept hugging me and telling me what a difference our work had made for them. He passed away 4 years ago before our therapy could conclude, and I was a special guest at the funeral.

Well, yes, they were treated like V.I.P’s; but really it was like my professor in college used to say repeatedly in speech pathology classes. Treat each person who comes to you as if they were your mom, your dad, your brother or sister, son or daughter. If you could treat them that way, no matter what, they will work for you, improve, and you will have a “friend for life.”

Best, Mark
Mark A. Ittleman, M.S., CCC/SLP
Senior Speech Language Pathologist

The Teaching of Talking:

Please stop by our website and visit.  If there is anything I can ever do to help you in any way, please do not hesitate to drop me a line at markittleman@teachingoftalking.com or visit our website at http://www.teachingoftalking.com.  Please feel free to share this with your colleagues or friends.

See the original article:

The Visitor

in

The Teaching of Talking

Dangerously Uninformed About Stroke

Jeff Porter
Stroke of Faith

Thursday, February 06, 2014

The link (below) tells the story of a stroke survivor and points out a sad - but obvious - fact. Stroke risk factors and stroke symptoms are not well know.

Read the story about the survivor and the cold facts about stroke prevention and symptoms:

Stroke, which strikes some 795,000 Americans each year and kills about 130,000, is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and a leading cause of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are roughly 6.8 million stroke survivors in the U.S. And yet it is largely misunderstood. 

"The public is dangerously uninformed about stroke," said Jim Baranski, CEO of the National Stroke Association, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Englewood, Colo. 

Strokes happen in the brain, but the underlying causes often begin in the cardiovascular system. The good news is that 80 percent of strokes can be prevented, Baranski said, if people control the risk factors that make them more susceptible and recognize early stroke signs.

Check out the stroke signs with this video:


Standard YouTube License @ otable

See the original article:

Dangerously Uninformed About Stroke

in

Stroke of Faith

The Will...

Jackie Poff
Stroke Survivors Tattler

Harold Smith is on his deathbed, knows the end is near. His nurse, his wife, his daughter and 2 sons, are with him.

So, he says to them:

"Bernie, I want you to take the Mayfair houses."
"Sybil, take the apartments over in Pall Mall .."
"Jamie, I want you to take the offices over in the City Centre."
"Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings on the banks of the Thames ."

The nurse is just blown away by all this, and as Harold slips away, she says,

"Mrs. Smith, your husband must have been such a hard-working man to have accumulated all this property".

Sarah replies,

"Property? ... the arsehole had a paper route!"

Evolution and Stroke: It's an Everyday Occurrence

Joyce Hoffman
The Tales of a Stroke Patient

Feb 8, 2014

Lists are a way to keep track of the things you should -- or should not -- be doing or have done. When you're done with the list, presumably you're finished with all the things listed on the list. But are you really? The lists are usually in 5s or 10s, convenient, familiar numbers to use. Take a look at some samples:

5 Foods That You Should Never Eat (I still eat 3 out of 5)
5 Stages of Grief for Chiefs Fans (They were doing so great for a while)
5 Stages of the Sleep Process (If you think of the 5 stages, you won't go to sleep)
5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying (Wall Street sucks)
5 Books to Help You Reach Your Goals for 2014 (Reach your goals? Really?)
5 Signs You May Have Prediabetes (Or maybe the actual diabetes)
5 Best Films Oscars Nominations (They usually come in 5s)
The Top 10 Lists of David Letterman (Er, that is, David Letterman's writers)
Best 10 Movies of Matthew McConaughey (It's the dimples...anything he's in, I like)
5 Years After, 10 Things to Remember (I could think of a lot of things if this article was called, "10 Years After, 5 Things to Remember")

Lists are completely and purposely definitive. But are there only 5 or 10? How about if there's so much more? Take Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, for example. She was the author of the 1969 legendary bestseller, On Death and Dying, and a psychiatrist, who died in 2004. I wonder if she took her own advice about death and followed all the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In one article, she said that she was ready for death after suffering multiple strokes. But was she really? Known as the Kubler-Ross model, did she skip the first 4 stages and go directly to acceptance? I have my doubts.

Yale University conducted a study of bereaved individuals between 2000 and 2003, based on the Kubler-Ross model, and concluded from their findings that half were consistent with the five-stage theory and others were conflicing with the model. P.K. Maciejewski said in 2007, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), several letters were also written and published in JAMA, criticizing this finding and belittling "the stage" concept because, for one thing, the Kübler-Ross model didn't evaluate the support--friends and family--aspect.

Top 12 #Inspirational Quotes That Have #Inspired Me!

Kate Allatt
A Rocky Stroke Recovery

February 7, 2014

I thought these were a great little reminder as I approach my 4 year ‘re-birth’ today. Very corny, but true.Before (and certainly after my episode), I have never been happy to use the words ‘journey’ or ‘re-birth’. They make me cringe.

But reaching my ‘new-normal’ (whatever normal is) all started on this exact day, 4 years ago.

At precisely 18.09 mine (& my family’s life) took a very different path and everything I thought I was working towards was torn up in an instant.

It’s not all bad. Luckily, I’ve come good.

I discovered that I love helping others. Helping them also helps me. It’s a win:win.

In my darkest moments, these were little gems of inspiration to me.

Little upbeat quotes posted on-line were a huge help when I was coping with my  severe illness.

I’d founded the charity http://www.FightingStrokes.org, written two books (with my third self-help book – I Am Still The Same Ebook, due in November 2014).

I’ve always set myself hard physical challenges to help me progress improve, as much as possible.

Fortunately, I have improved significantly.

Anant Agarwal: Why Massively Open Online Courses (Still) Matter

Published on Jan 27, 2014

2013 was a year of hype for MOOCs (massively open online courses). Great big numbers and great big hopes were followed by some disappointing first results. But the head of edX, Anant Agarwal, makes the case that MOOCs still matter -- as a way to share high-level learning widely and supplement (but perhaps not replace) traditional classrooms. Agarwal shares his vision of blended learning, where teachers create the ideal learning experience for 21st century students.


Standard YouTube License @ TED

RMR: Rick and Freestyle Skiing

Published on Feb 5, 2014

Rick takes to the air under the wing of former Olympians at Momentum Ski Camp

in Whistler, BC.

Standard YouTube License @ Rick Mercer Report

---------

Saturday News

Contents of This Week:

• Headline -  Music Therapy
• Comics   - ForBetterOrForWorse, Dilbert, Peanuts, Doonesbury
• Eclectic - Many articles from other bloggers and mostly about "stroke"...
• Trailer  - Rick Mercer Report - Intelligence, humorous, politics in Canada

Def'n: Music Therapy

Music Therapy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Music Therapy Intervention

Power of Music by Louis Gallait.

A brother and sister resting before an 

oldtomb. The brother is attempting to 

comfort his sibling by playing the violin,

 and she has fallen into a deep sleep,

"oblivious  of all grief, mental and physical."

Music therapy is the use of interventions to accomplish individual goals within a therapeutic relationship by a professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of a process in which a music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients improve their health. Music therapists primarily help clients improve their health in several domains, such as cognitive functioning, motor skills, emotional development, social skills, and quality of life, by using music experiences such as free improvisation, singing, and listening to, discussing, and moving to music to achieve treatment goals. It has a wide qualitative and quantitative research literature base and incorporates clinical therapy, biomusicology, musical acoustics, music theory, psychoacoustics, embodied music cognition, aesthetics of music, and comparative musicology. Referrals to music therapy services may be made by other health care professionals such as physicians, psychologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. Clients can also choose to pursue music therapy services without a referral (i.e., self-referral).

Music therapists are found in nearly every area of the helping professions. Some commonly found practices include developmental work (communication, motor skills, etc.) with individuals with special needs, songwriting and listening in reminiscence/orientation work with the elderly, processing and relaxation work, and rhythmic entrainment for physical rehabilitation in stroke victims. Music therapy is also used in some medical hospitals, cancer centers, schools, alcohol and drug recovery programs, psychiatric hospitals, and correctional facilities.

Video: Music Therapy

SoundBored -- Music Therapy for Stroke Survivors

Published on May 5, 2012

Project thru IDHI @ Georgia Tech

We used the Microsoft Surface to create a fun music tool that could help stroke survivors make their therapy more enjoyable.

Music: Remind Me by Röyksopp, Year of the Cat by Al Stewart


Standard YouTube License @ pmize3

Saturday Comics

For Better and For Worse
Lynn Johnston - 2014/02/02

"I can't keep him on the sleigh, Michael !!"

Dilbert
Scott Adams - 2014/02/02

"We're going to use the Jeff Bezos rule of meeting..."

Peanuts
Charles Schulz - 2014/02/02

"Are you out of your mind? Go back to sleep!" 

Doonesbury
Garry Trudeau - 2014/02/02

"I have a dream......."

  
** I tried to get low or free price at the people http://www.UniversalUclick.com/ for the images for the cartoons. It was too high for Stroke Survivors Tattler i.e. we are not a regular newspaper and our budget is very low. Fortunately, you will have to do only 1-click more to see the cartoon image, it is legit and it is free using GoComics.com and Dilbert.com.

Note: Now SSTattler are running cartoons starting on previous Sunday.

Eclectic Stuff

Definition: Eclectic(noun) a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Follow: StrokeTattler on Twitter

Search for @StrokeTattler on Twitter

    or

Web: https://twitter.com/stroketattler

Tattlers -- information for those dealing with stroke by stroke survivors, spouses, families, and friends. Not a substitute for professional health information.

Edmonton · Stroke Survivors Tattler

(stroke-survivors.org)

SSTattler: Or click near the top-right-column button -->  

Challenge 7: Remembering Piano

Grace Carpenter
My Happy Stroke

Friday, May 3, 2013

Not long after I came back from Spaulding, I sat down at my piano. I wasn't sure if I could play anything at all, but I tried to think of the piano as a therapy tool--both physical and cognitive.

From time to time, I've been going through my sheet music for my favorite pieces. With some pieces, I've tried to pick out the notes. Sometimes I listen to recordings and follow along with the sheet music. Other times I just listen.

But there was one piece that I couldn't find in my music books, and I also don't have a recording. It was a slow Scott Joplin piece called "Solace" that I've been playing by memory since middle school, and it was one of my show-off pieces. But when I tried playing even a few notes by memory, I couldn't. My left hand waited for cues from my right hand, while my right hand sat on the keyboard, useless as a dead fish.

So my challenge was to drive to the music store, track down the music, and hopefully pick out some of the melody, in any way possible. After thumbing through anthologies, I found the song. To my dismay, the music didn't look like anything I remembered. Did I confuse the name of the piece? Were my music-reading skills affected by the stroke even more than I realized?

I was never the most talented pianist, but that was beside the point. I loved making music. And now one more piece of myself was lost. This really sucks, I said to myself.

I bought the music book anyway. When I came home I googled "Solace," and found a video clip of someone playing the piece. Halfway through the clip, I recognized it. It was "Solace." But I had always skipped the first two movements, and even forgotten they existed. And I don't think it had anything to do with the stroke.

Afterwards, I tried to play a few lines. It didn't sound much like music, and I'm not sure it ever will. But at least I now can tell you: I used to play this Scott Joplin song called "Solace" for decades; I always skipped the first two movements; and that was part of who I was.

Here's a post by Marcelle Greene about ragtime and stroke. Here's a video clip of a performance of "Solace" (with a lot fewer mistakes, of course, than I used to to make. The parts I used to play start at 3:37).


Standard YouTube License @ BachScholar

See the original article:

Challenge 7: Remembering Piano

in

My Happy Stroke

Ragtime

Marcelle Greene
Up Stroke

Friday, July 1, 2011

Click below to listen to "Maple Leaf Rag."



There was a piano at a party I attended recently. I asked my hostess if she played. "No, but I always wanted to play ragtime," she said. Pre-stroke, I would have sat down right then and pounded out the "Maple Leaf Rag."

The "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin was my signature piece. I've been playing it for 30 years. It includes a hand-over-hand run all the way up the keyboard. In my talent show version, my hands kept running until I fell off the piano bench. A comedy routine – my dad's idea.

I didn't even need a piano to play the "Rag." I'd tap it out on my thigh during dull classes or meetings. In the hospital post-stroke, I reviewed the fingering in my mind. The brain doesn't know the difference between imagining and doing, and I hoped that this mental exercise would spur my fingers toward movement.

I have been told that any skill I want to recover will require hours of practice and repetition. I will not take the time to learn to play the piano again. It's a loss, but not a devastating one. I was neither a gifted musician nor an avid one. In fact, I can't remember the last time I played. What I do remember is during my dad's last visit before my stroke, he said, "How about a little Scott Joplin?"

And I said, "Not now."

See the original article:

Ragtime

in

Up Stroke

Music Helps Stroke Patients Find Their Voice

Dean Reinke
Deans' Stroke Musing

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Why the hell do we continue to hear stories like this? Research supporting this idea has been around for years. It seems that there is no way to disseminate changes that should be made to stroke protocols around the world. That would seem like a job for SuperStroke survivor since the WSO obviously has no intention of ever helping stroke survivors. GAH! the stupidity of everyone involved. Did they all take stupid pills? Or are survivors emanating a stupid force radiating from our damaged brains? Which is why graduate students doing research for their dissertations are producing great research yet. 

Dec. 2013

• Opera Singer Overcomes Stroke that at First Left Him Speechless

Sept. 2011

• Rhythm in disguise: why singing may not hold the key to recovery from aphasia 

Written in 1973

• Melodic Intonation Therapy for Aphasia

See the original article:

Music Helps Stroke Patients Find Their Voice

in

Deans' Stroke Musing

Shall We Dance?

Barb Polan
Barb's Recovery

13th August 2012

Since I had the stroke, Tom and I have attended three weddings. I LOVE dancing and, each time, I have tried to get Tom to dance with me. Nope, which has been okay because I'm so inhibited. Full disclosure: even pre-stroke, I could get him on the dance floor only one or two songs per wedding; most of my dancing was done with friends and family. But, Tom would always dance with our daughter when she asked him. Now, though, Tom's "no" is a true "no," not an "ask me later when I've had more to drink." We went to a wedding this past weekend and, being the marriage of college friends' son, there were many long-time friends there, including a former boyfriend of mine (JB, of course, for anyone who knows him). He has absolutely no inhibitions and expects everyone else to be the same. He strong-armed me into dancing - a slow song first so that he could grab me tighter if I stumbled. He tucked my left arm under his right and pressed it in against his side, then put his other arm around my waist. I could actually take steps with my left leg. My timing was bad because it took so long to move that leg. Of course, many of my steps were onto his foot, but I'm not that strong or that heavy that it bothered him. Plus, he was the one forcing me to dance, so too bad. Following the slow was, of course, a fast - that old wedding staple "Mac, the Knife." I was very happy to be out there, and my right arm had the best time. Now I'm thinking of cranking up the music when I'm home alone and devising my own dance therapy. Slow songs are out.

See the original article:

Shall We Dance?

in

Barb's Recovery

Singing

Amy Shissler
My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Jul 5, 2013

My speech therapist wasn’t there when I told my student clinician (I do speech therapy at a university) that I’m taking singing lessons.  She was so thrilled when she found that out that she wrote me an email.  Here it is…….

Hi Amy, 

Sorry I missed you last week; however, I was on vacation with my family in Hilton Head.  I spoke with Emily regarding your session and she informed me that you are now taking voice lessons.  This is great news!!!!  I am so interested to hear how you like them and if you notice any changes in your voice as a result.  There is some research on the use of music / rhythm / Melodic Intonation Therapy in the success with patients who have expressive language deficits as a result of a CVA (aphasia).  As Emily probably discussed with you, music engages the right side of the brain in the production of speech (as language and speech are primarily left brain).  This is also why we utilize “chant therapy” to engage the right brain.   This has been noticed in individuals who stutter (these individuals can sing fine; however, when they speak they may still stutter).  I look forward to discuss this with you further next week, enjoy your holiday!!!!! 

We may have to do a session of Karaoke :0) 

~Annette

Now, a couple of my thoughts.  First of all, I will NEVER do karaoke, ever.  Second, it’s a good thing I chant all the time in yoga.  Third, ok………….I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my speech therapist.  She’s awesome and amazing!  Love her.  However, I’m confused about something.  In a year and a half of going to this speech therapy I have never been challenged to raise my voice high and use a higher pitch.  The reason for this is because I have a lot more control, as does everyone, at lower pitches.  My first day of the singing lessons he had me go as high as my voice could go.  But this is speech therapy it’s not singing therapy.

As Dean said once “The problem I have with Peter is that he is constrained with staying within the approved therapy guidelines. That silo is not where the breakthroughs in stroke will occur.”  No, it’s not.  You have to think outside the box, and try things that you never thought you’d try.

See the original article:

Singing

in

My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Rockin' Recovery

Peter G. Levine
Stronger After Stroke Blog

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

I'm here in Finland, above the Arctic Circle, the home of my wife, Aila. We're visiting for 3 weeks.

This is a great country for clearing one's head. The things that matter to "us" seem to trouble them less. Their perspective has changed my perspective!

There is a particular study the Fins have done on stroke recovery that has caught my eye several times over the past few years. Part of it is that any study that says "stroke" and "Finland" will get my attention. Part of it is that music is so personally important. The following quote comes from this article Therapy Times:

"A daily dose of one’s favorite pop melodies, classical music or jazz can speed recovery from debilitating strokes, according to a study published recently. When stroke patients in Finland listened to music for a couple of hours each day, verbal memory and attention span improved significantly compared to patients who received no musical stimulation, or who listened only to stories read out loud, the study reports. 

Those exposed to music also experienced less depression than the other two control groups. 

Three months after a stroke, verbal memory was boosted by 60 percent in music listeners, by 18 percent in audio book listeners, and by 29 percent in non-listeners, according to the lead author Teppo Sarkamo, PhD, a neuroscientist at Helsinki University in Finland. 

The differences held true after six months as well, says the study, which is published in a recent issue of the journal, Brain. Sarkamo’s findings bolster a growing body of research pointing to the benefits of music and music therapy for conditions including autism, schizophrenia, and dementia. But this is the first time music alone has been shown to have a positive effect on victims of brain injury, such as stroke, he says. 

“Everyday music listening during early stroke recovery offers a valuable addition to the patients’ care, especially if other active forms of rehabilitation are not yet feasible,” Sarkamo says."

Also, this systematic review seems to further indicate music can help in a number of ways.

See the original article:

Rockin' Recovery

in

Stronger After Stroke Blog

Play Date

Pamela Hsieh
Rehab Revolution

17 December 2012

I know. Where are last week’s three posts? They didn’t happen (I hope you’ll forgive me), because I was an awful time manager last week. On the plus side, I did film some videos, and I’ll do my best to edit them by Monday night into something cohesive. It will be a busy day, but I will put in an honest effort to deliver!

Tonight, Anthony told me there is something called the “Pamela Effect.” I asked him what this was, expecting him to say that it was my ability to prolong anything and everything and cause great tardiness. Well, I was sort of right -- but his actual definition was: “spontaneous dancing, personal development or entertaining video sharing, hugs, and general merriment or affection that comes with spending time with Pamela.”

Talk about putting a positive spin on a perceived flaw, right? :)

I feel a huge shift occurring in me these days. Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit, perhaps it was the Millionaire Mind Intensive (for the record, I only want to make my millions by living my truth), or perhaps it’s simply time for a lot of growth.

When I first began this blog, I thought its focus would be on therapy techniques. I knew it would be an exploration of all the facets of healing and rehabilitation, but it turns out that a lot of where this exploration goes is within, to the spirit. Ultimately, it’s not so surprising . . . it is really the spirit you must tend to to keep up your fight!

So let’s talk about the importance of making things fun. I’ve addressed this briefly before, but let’s revisit.

I’ve begun starting some of my days with some high-energy “Pamela Effect” spontaneous dancing. Or, looking myself in the mirror and pumping myself up by proclaiming everything I love about my life: “I love dancing, I love food, I love animals! I love reading, I love books, I love my bedding!” etc., etc. (Yes, I caught some of these practices on film.)

It sounds ridiculous and cheesy, but no one’s watching. Besides, who the hell cares? Even if people were watching, all the more reason to embrace this kind of joy. It really gets you going on a great note, and it makes your life more fun.

Consider this awesome initiative --


Standard YouTube License @ Rolighetsteorin

How can you make the necessary activities of life and rehab more fun so you actually do them? We don’t have to transform every set of stairs into a keyboard. But you can start by playing the music you LOVE while you dance your heart out or run on your elliptical. Play exercise video games on the Wii  or XBox (more on this to come).

Ask a friend if you can “borrow” his dog for walking a couple times during the week. Time how quickly you can clean your kitchen. The list goes on! Please share your ideas below -- how do you make boring tasks more enjoyable?

To our healing,

See the original article:

Play Date

in

Rehab Revolution

Playing 'Games' to Improve Recovery

Jeff Porter
Stroke of Faith

Friday, January 31, 2014

We've see stories before about the idea of adapting video games and other technology for stroke recovery therapy.

As the motion sensor-based technology improves, more advances seem to be coming. For example, check this blurb and video how stroke recovery might be assisted by Microsoft's Kinect, specifically upper-limb motor functioning:

Stroke patients can get direct feedback about their recovery from the Kinect, which is able to capture the skeletal movements in real-time and relay the information back to the user. Stroke Recovery with Kinect features “three game-like exercises,” each of which requires the user to test his or her dexterity. This software could serve as an affordable, accessible addition to the recovery process for future sufferers. Check out a video of the program in action at Microsoft Research.

Standard YouTube License @ Microsoft Research

See the original article:

Playing 'Games' to Improve Recovery

in

Stroke of Faith

Getting Early Recovery

Rebecca Dutton
Home After a Stroke

January 28, 2014

PTs do not start gait training by asking clients to lift their hemiplegic (paralyzed) leg in the air and then move their ankle and toes.  Yet classic hand evaluations like the Fugl-Meyer Assessment tell OTs to ask stroke survivors to sit and lift their hemiplegic arm up to table top height to pick up an object resting on the table. There is a problem with evaluating early hand function this way.  When a stroke survivor struggles to lift a paralyzed arm, high muscle tone can cascade down the arm and make the hand too tight to open to grasp an object.

Hand-to-hand transfers can promote early hand use because the hemiplegic hand is held close to the body as it opens to accept an object from the sound hand.  Notice how small the shoulder angle is when objects are close to the body.  This angle is similar to the angle PTs expect from the hip when clients walk.  Finally letting the thigh take some of the weight of the bottle promotes early success.  The hemiplegic hand only has to keep the bottle still as the sound hand takes the cap off and puts it back on.  Modifying tasks so clients can succeed is a good way to change everyone's expectation of what is possible.  On the first day in rehab I walked the full length of the PT gym with the help of three people.  I did not dismiss this early attempt because it was a modified version of my end goal.  See Small Motions Make My Hand Useful for more ways to use hand-to-hand transfers.

See the original article:

Getting Early Recovery

in

Home After a Stroke

9 Things Not to Say to Someone With a #Braininjury, #Abi or #Stroke

Kate Allatt
A Rocky Stroke Recovery

February 1, 2014

A bit extra from me.

‘Judging by the response to this blog, from people who too have had the ‘bomb-explode-in-their-brain’, we all seem to feel THE SAME.

Which is why my 3rd book – I Am Still The Same (Ebook NOV 2014) will be a practical self-help God send for all stroke survivors and brain injured people.

Please also take a look at ‘Running Free’ (Amazon) for some practical advice, based on my own horrific brainstem stroke experience with locked in syndrome. It’s internationally published and also hugely inspiring for ANYONE.’

Kate Allatt voluntary CEO Fighting Strokes.

SOURCE: http://strokerevelations.com/9-things-not-to-say-to-someone-with-a-brain-i-44952

Brain injury is confusing to people who don’t have one. It’s natural to want to say something, to voice an opinion or offer advice, even when we don’t understand.

And when you care for a loved one with a brain injury, it’s easy to get burnt out and say things out of frustration.

Here are a few things you might find yourself saying that are probably not helpful:

Newfie Diet

Jackie Poff
Stroke Survivors Tattler

A Newfie was terribly overweight, so the doctor put her on a diet.

"I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, then eat regularly again for 2 days then skip a day. Repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost at least 5 pounds."

When the Newfie returned, she shocked the doctor by having lost nearly 60 lbs.!

"Why, that's amazing", the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?"

The Newfie nodded. "I'll tell you though, be jaesuz, I t'aut I were going to drop dead on dat 'tird day."

"From the hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor.

"No, from the frikin' skippin'."