Peers Fostering Hope Supported by the Dr Peers Fostering Hope Supported by the Dr. Ed & Bobby Yielding Fund for Stroke Recovery Your visit

What do we want to accomplish? The re-engagement and re-integration of stroke survivors into the community. Persons with stroke need to feel that they are not alone. Despite being on a stroke unit with other people who have experienced a stroke, they feel alone. They don’t feel as though their life has any meaning. Your presence will help to alleviate a lot of the fears that they are experiencing and can offer reassurance that there is life after stroke, that they can live successfully in the community.

How will we accomplish this? Peer Visitors (Hospital) Providing… Support Encouragement Hope Community Re-engagement/ Reintegration -From initial contact to provide hope, then to let them know that there are support groups in their community. By being part of the group, they will also be supporting others. As group members can give back by bringing other survivors in and giving them hope

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Special Populations of Stroke Survivors Survivors living with aphasia, paralysis, visual impairment, etc. require heightened level of sensitivity, awareness and skill The following are general/standard stroke friendly Peer Support Guidelines only.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines All peer support activities conducted in a confidential and respectful manner Avoid imposing religious, political and medical beliefs & views Confidentiality is important. Peers should not be sharing names or any patient information with others outside of the hospital. Should a patient speak about putting themselves at risk or harming themselves or others, the peer has a duty to report this to the staff on the unit. Why do you think its important to avoid speaking about religious, political and medical beliefs and views? What if someone starts speaking about God and asking your thoughts on this? What would you say? How might you redirect the conversation? If someone speaks about their faith as a way to cope, you may not agree with it however it is good to let them express themselves.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Preparing for the visit Visit only when you are well Understand expectations of PFH (ie. visit promptly; provide SRC packages; based on condition of stroke survivor; obtain contact information; report monthly information to the volunteer coordinator) Its important that you not do any visits if you are feeling unwell. You are asked to get in touch with the contact person on the stroke unit to let them know if you will not be in. You can provide the patient with information on how they might connect with peer programs once discharged from the hospital. You will are asked to report your volunteer hours to March of Dimes on a monthly basis.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Respect and observe hospital rules Visiting hours Keep noise level down Wear an ID badge Good hand washing and isolation precautions These rules and guidelines will be discussed as part of your hospital orientation. You should always have your ID badge visible and introduce yourself to the peer. It’s important to note that you should not be visiting any patients who are on isolation precautions.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Checking in and Checking out Check in with the volunteer department to sign if (if required by the organization) Meet your contact on the unit prior to your visit Track the number of people you’ve seen (no names) Check out with main contact on the unit if there are any issues that came up. The contact on your unit will be able to provide you with any pertinent information about the patient you might need to know prior to your visit. Check out can be done in person if the staff is available, or over the phone or email.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Visit structure Greet survivor and/or family member Introduce yourself and let them know why you are there Take time, sit down and visit never sit on the bed or with your back against a window Listen intently and focus on the survivor Try to put a person at ease by commenting first on everyday things Show interest in the survivor by asking about their stroke (if they ask about your experiences – keep details brief as this visit is about them) key phrases “I remember how frustrating it was . . .” “I understand how you feel . . .”

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Visit Structure con’t. If survivor asks “how long will I be like this?” “No one can say exactly how long, as every stroke is different; but if you have a positive attitude and work hard, recovery may come more quickly.” “You may need to learn to do things differently but you may still be able to do those things.”

Be aware of the surroundings Privacy Distractions Adaptive aids (glasses, hearing aids) Privacy – are there other people in the room or nearby? Distractions – are there distracting activities going on around you? Adaptive aids – does the person with stroke have what he or she needs to communicate such as hearing aid, glasses or communication board

Be in tuned to the person Their mood (being distracted, pain, fatigued) Medical stability (emotional, cognitive) Other people/staff visiting Their body language Other appointments Other? What do you think it means? Why is this important

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Communication : Message(s) from one person to another Ways to communicate Voice Eye contact Facial expression Body language (arms crossed, leaning in) Distance Pacing Remember: Individuals from cultures different than our own may communicate differently.

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Listening: a skill that requires patience Stop talking Be attentive Be aware “ We learn more from listening Empathetic than from talking” Do not interrupt Do not be judgmental Do not give advise Allow anger to be expressed (by the survivor) Allow silence

Stroke Friendly Peer Support Guidelines Thoughts of Encouragement There is always hope; never give up keep trying It’s not helpful to compare ourselves to others Don’t expect too much too soon Exercises that seem very simple help recover function Set realistic SMART goals that you can reach Imagine. . . Hope . . . Believe . . .

Questions?