Enhancing support for stroke survivors through an expanded national After Stroke program – Health Research Innovation Portal
June is Stroke Awareness Month in Canada! March of Dimes Canada is pleased to announce the launch of our enhanced After Stroke program. We are proud that we have an established history of serving people who have experienced strokes and stroke-related disability, providing programs and services to support recovery since 2002. After Stroke is a personalized stroke recovery program designed to support survivors and their families to navigate the path forward after a stroke.
More than 62,000 people in Canada experience a stroke each year (Heart & Stroke, 2019). Among them, 60 percent are left with some level of stroke-related disability and face a wide array of practical and emotional challenges as they move through their unique recovery journey (Heart & Stroke, 2017).
As Parliamentarians, you and your constituency office staff likely receive queries from constituents who have experienced a stroke and are finding it confusing or difficult to identify and access programs and supports. March of Dimes Canada and the enhanced After Stroke program are here to help.
The Enhanced After Stroke
Every person’s stroke is different, and every stroke recovery is unique to that individual. People who have had a stroke and their families can connect with the After Stroke program at any point in their journey, whether they are still in the hospital or have been living with the effects of stroke for months or years. After Stroke is available at no cost to participants, and no health card or insurance is required.
Currently, dedicated After Stroke coordinators are available in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario to work one-on-one with stroke survivors and their families, setting personal goals and developing a plan to achieve them, including tailored resources and programs that support their individual challenges.
March of Dimes Canada is working hard to expand this service across the country; Canadians in any province can contact our After Stroke warmline at 1-888-540-6666 to receive live system navigation support and connection to our virtual services regardless of where they live.
High-impact research
Our work, supporting stroke survivors and their families, allows us to directly engage the community in shaping and guiding research into stroke support. With the goal of informing best practices for stroke support worldwide, we’re partnering with leading academic and institutional partners across Canada and internationally.
Led by Dr. Michelle L.A. Nelson, After Stroke’s research program is designed to connect theory and practice in order to develop relevant, timely and high-impact solutions to the challenges faced by stroke survivors, their families, and the professionals and organizations who support them.
Get in touch
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all learned the importance of giving Canadians the support they need to reduce social isolation and age-in-place safely. Your referral can make all the difference for a stroke survivor looking to regain independence at home while staying connected to their community.
Find more information at www.afterstroke.ca, or contact the After Stroke warmline at 1-888-540-6666.
About March of Dimes Canada
March of Dimes Canada is a nationally registered charitable organization that has been providing support services to people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers across Canada for 70 years. Our goal is to enhance the independence and community participation of people with disabilities every day through a wide range of programs and services across Canada.
For more information about March of Dimes Canada and the services we offer, please contact Amanda MacKenzie, National Manager, Public Affairs, at [email protected].