Congratulations
to World Stroke Organization SSO member, Helderberg Stroke Support Group
(HSSG), as it prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary on 23rd
November.
The SSO recently
carried out a survey with its members and asked them to rate the impact their
attendance at HSSG community groups had made on their lives. This could be
physically, mentally, emotionally or in terms of overall improvement in speech,
language and general function after their stroke.
The results
from the survey are very positive, with 79% of people stating that the HSSG has
been very helpful, 14% helpful and 7% moderately helpful.
Comments from
group members show just how much the SSO helps stroke survivors in the town of
Somerset West, in the Western Cape, to get Up Again After Stroke:
I was very weak
when I came here. I was also trapped by low self-esteem. I have learned a lot
and I am no longer dependent, I can do a lot more for myself – it’s very
beautiful.
The exercises
help me to get up every day.
The group keeps
you fit and it means that you can do a lot more for yourself because of the
exercises.
Thank you, I can
now do things for myself.
It helped me a
lot. When I joined the group I could not do anything for myself -
it has helped my
fitness. I am very happy.
I feel so much
better since I joined the group because I no longer feel frightened and I can
stand on my own legs.
The group is a good foundation for
those who are not fortunate enough to get private help. It is good not just for
physical recovery, but for mental recovery as well.
After 25
years and with such positive feedback from members, HSSG is still striving to
improve the service it provides. The
group was fortunate to receive funding from the DG Murray Trust specifically
for training for its assistants, and they recently attended training on
transfers, wheelchair dexterity, mobility aids and assisting stroke survivors
with walking.
Congratulations Helderberg Stroke
Support Group!
