NOTE: THIS SECTION IS TAGGED POLITICS

LEAVE IT ASIDE IF IT DOESN’T CONTRIBUTE YOUR WELLBEING AND OR WILLINGNESS PAY-FORWARD SUPPORT

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Only 250 words plus title allowed
This is the version as submitted

Submission ID 228 out of ??? (for 5 slots!)

Title (required)

Empathy, Recovery and Empowerment: The Potential for Digital Peer Support Networks

Describe your experience with stroke and how it relates to the chosen theme. Focus on specific events or insights that highlight your journey and how it impacted you (required)

My ischemic stroke 4yrs ago invalidated my family’s basis for navigating our lives.

It is still scary.

I’ve found Life After Stroke much improved within a community of peer #StrokeThrivers. Folk ‘just get-it’, they share setbacks & progress. 24×7 emotional empathy & practical support received (and given!)

I couldn’t have managed as well without them

Give a short summary of the presentation including key points, personal insights and how it relates to life after stroke. Focus on education, practical advice, strategies and recommendations based on lived experience (required)

How sharing my fears, needs, challenges, discoveries, insights & progress has been crucial to recovery’s struggles with anxiety, medication, decompensations, rehab motivation etc

Communities I’ve used on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, stroke organisations; Everywhere.

Why all are currently sub-optimal in configuration, moderation attitudes and skills.

How they could be:

Used by therapist to extend rehab services,

Reducing pressures on services,

Delivering superior & quicker outcomes for #StrokeThrivers and greater job satisfaction for professionals.

A research data source

Stroke community’s demographic has changed.
Services & funding must evolve too in ATTITUDES, EXPECTATIONS & IMAGINATION (Charities & institutions must become enablers - not BARRIERS)

Share strategies that informed and changed treatment, policy and/or support services (required)

I’m Co-Chairing a Steering Committee to build hybrid Physical / Digital hubs in my local NHS trusts. A university school of Allied Health Professions is collaborating to align under- & post-grad curriculums to embrace and leverage the sociology of digital community rehab.

Experience shows successes improve with all stakeholder’s collaboration developing/ adjusting: Curricula, Service delivery practices, Governance, Policies, AI use of Data, Software.

‘We’ve’ formed a Stroke Improvement Group for all stakeholders to advocate (Charter at https://bit.ly/SIGcharter #StrokeThrivers wishing to pay forward support received (are invited to) sign social media posts “member SIG”)

https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/76524/submissions/899856/form/view