As statistics show one in five people will have a stroke in their lifetime, a new exercise program is in town to help those who have suffered.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) and the City of Vernon have partnered to launch a new community exercise program to fill a much-needed gap for people living with stroke at the Vernon Recreation Centre, starting on Oct. 21.
The FAME (Fitness and Mobility Exercise) Program offers a structured group exercise that has been shown with research evidence to improve mobility, balance, memory and thinking, endurance, and reduce falls in stroke survivors.
The low-cost program is delivered by trained exercise professionals who can accommodate individuals with physical changes after having a stroke, such as one-sided leg weakness, who are at higher risk of falling and developing health complications after stroke.
The FAME program was initially developed locally by Dr. Janice Eng’s research team at the UBC Department of Physical Therapy.
FAME was created to address the urgent need for safe and effective exercise programs tailored to stroke survivors. For more information about FAME, visit https://fameexercise.com.
“After my stroke, I felt lost upon discharge from the hospital,” said Kelowna’s Jennifer Monoghan, who had a stroke in 2012. “I could use my impacted side, but not as strongly or as coordinated as before. A program like FAME would have helped me regain my balance and use of my muscles, plus offer me the chance to meet others who had also suffered a stroke. FAME also would have helped with cognitive problems.”
For more information and to register, visit the Vernon Recreation Centre (in person or online at vernon.ca).