The meeting of the Orange County Stroke Support Groups took place on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the American Heart Association offices at 4600 Campus Drive, Irvine, CA 92617. Below are the meeting minutes. For future meeting information, please contact us.

 

Thanks to the American Heart Association for donating the use of their meeting room!

Meeting minutes:

• The OCSRN was pleased to have Robin A. O'Connor, Assistant Professor at Orange Coast College (OCC) in Costa Mesa, as our guest speaker. Robin discussed the Adapted Physical Education classes at OCC that are designed for physically disabled persons who can benefit from individualized exercise programs. To enroll in this program, participants must register with the Disabled Students’ Center as OCC students. Each is then encouraged to maximize their physical potential within the limitations of their disabilities. Seventy students are currently enrolled, ranging in age from 19-91; twenty-two of them have had strokes. Activities provide opportunities for students to transition into other physical education courses or to function at the highest physical level possible. A variety of courses are offered for improving strength, balance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance; additional courses in bowling, aquatics and exercises for persons with neck and back problems also are offered. Students complete a necessary medical verification form in order to participate. Robin presented an informational and motivational recruitment video and answered questions regarding the program.

• We reviewed our second annual symposium, “The OCSRN Stroke Rehabilitation Continuing Education Workshop,” which took place Saturday, November 5, 2011, from 9 a.m. –12 noon at Chapman University. Speakers included: Dr. Candace Vickers (Speech Pathologist), who spoke about constraint-induced speech therapy; Dr. Ana Solodkin, who spoke about her research using the mirror neuron system in stroke recovery, and Dr. Walt Scacchi, who spoke about video gaming and rehabilitation. Continuing Education units were provided for nursing, OT, PT, and SLP. Attendees gave good feedback regarding the workshop. Ideas for future speakers included a lecture on various braces/splints for rehabilitation.

• The group discussed the OCSRN website (www.ocsrn.com), and how it can better serve our needs. Towards this, attendees were asked to please bring to the meeting some of their own links to resources that can be added to the website. Suggestions included: 1) starting a Facebook page; 2) having a printable version of the OCSRN flyer on our website (which has now been implemented); 3) adding links to NIH resources (i.e. Exercise and physical activity book); 4) adding more resources for caregivers (please send us your suggestions!); 5) adding low cost equipment resources (i.e. Disabled Dealer magazine); 6) adding resources about: hippotherapy, sailing program (Casa Colina), and links for home adaptations as well as the Abilities Expo.

• Mark your calendars for our upcoming Stroke Awareness Picnic on May 5, 2012. In response to comments from last year’s picnic, we will try to space the tables out more and make them more user-friendly and accessible. (Last year’s crowding was due to last minute additions to vendor list.) The plan is to expand to neighboring flat areas. Note that the Multiple Sclerosis walk is scheduled for the same day at UC Irvine, but will not directly impact the picnic area. Ideas: to have activities for stroke survivors including Wii games; have a raffle where stroke products donated by vendors are provided, or membership to Goodwill fitness center in Santa Ana. Attendees were encouraged to take flyers to pass out at their facilities/programs.

• Other Topics:
  Dr. Cramer discussed plans for UCI’s efforts in starting a Brain Repair Center. He also discussed plans for beginning studies on telerehabilitation. Dr. Alison McKenzie discussed plans to organize a second Stroke Boot Camp at Chapman University.