Centre supports transition from stroke clinical care
Morwell Stroke Support Centre has set up shop in Gippsland.
An initiative from Stroke Association Victoria, the centre is aimed at helping stroke survivors transition from clinical care. Through the centre, people can access the support they need to continue stroke rehabilitation and achieve their goals.
The centre is currently operating out of the Herd Coworking space in Warragul until it finds a permanent space in Morwell. However, it is intended for anyone living in the region.
Morwell is also home to the Morwell Stroke Support Group which caters primarily for peer support rather than accessing support and services for rehabilitation.
Paul Howells experienced a stroke 14 years ago, and currently organises the Morwell Stroke Support Group.
He said a stroke support centre would have been a “tremendous help” for him during his recovery.
“At that stage, there was very little... the healthcare system can only offer so much. They can’t offer a year’s rehabilitation for a person.”
“When I came out there were stroke support groups, which were peer support groups in essence... the nearest was Morwell, and I went there.”
“It does help, in some way, talking to your peers about these things. But it’s not a continuation of rehabilitation,” he said.
Mr Howells is passionate about what the centre can do for the community and said the centre will allow people to experience individualized support depending on their needs and goals.
Vocational coordinator Christopher McVerry has the role of helping people get back into training, employment and volunteering.
“Depending on how bad the stoke is and what the recovery situation is... (they) possibly have to re-train in another skill set or another job.”
“Or to go back into their current role with maybe some slight modifications to that if the employers are willing to do that.”
“There are volunteering roles so that they can see what other pathway they might want to go into, and we can see what either employment or study they need to go into that pathway.”
Organisers are starting to contact local organisations and hospitals to start getting referrals.
“We are trying to get the word out there that this is who we are and what we’re doing and hopefully we get plenty of referrals,” said coordinator Sharon Slow.
“It is something that is needed within the community... it would be great if people stopped having strokes but let’s face it, that’s not going to happen.”
According to the Stroke Foundation, in 2020 27,428 Australians experienced a stroke for the first time in their lives - one stroke every 19 minutes.
More than 445,087 Australians are living with the effects of stroke.
For more information, visit: https://www.strokeassociation.com.au/stroke-support