Stroke Charity Gives Ward £7,000 Projector

Jersey Stroke Support has given patients at Overdale a new interactive projector.

The OM Projection System is worth £7,000 and opens the doors to a new immersive world for stroke survivors.

It uses innovative therapies and technologies to help patients with rehabilitation on the Samares Ward.

Stoke survivors and other rehabilitation patients can interact with projections which are motion-activated.

Images can be shone on floors and tables, for example, a flowing river, and islanders can make the river ripple and move by touching the projection.

Director of Clinical Services for HCS, Claire Thompson, says it is immensely grateful to Jersey Stroke Support and its community of donors.

"It is a welcomed addition to the rehabilitation unit, and we thank Jersey Stroke Support for their continued dedication towards supporting stroke patients and their families on the Island."

Patients can use the new projector to do new social exercises to work the brain and encourage better physical and emotional well-being.

The system can be used in 1:1 sessions or groups to socialise, converse and reminisce.

CEO of Jersey Stroke Support, Tracy O’Regan, says the charity is thrilled to make this donation, thanks to the generous support of the islanders.

"The OM Projection System will bring a new, fun and interactive dynamic to rehabilitation activities on the ward.

It's like a game, but they can use it for rehab to get people to move because it's just a fun way for people to interact."

It is estimated around 130 people suffer from strokes a year in Jersey, and with an ageing population, it is expected that number will increase with time, yet, Tracy says strokes can affect anyone.

"It's not just something that can affect elderly people. People in their 30s, 40s and 50s can have a stroke.

Across the UK, there are about 400 babies and children who have strokes every year, but they are for very different reasons to when adults have a stroke."

Jersey Stroke Support wants to see more stroke prevention information across the island and is currently advocating for post-stroke reviews.

The charity is in talks with the health department to introduce four to eight-month post-stroke check-ups, which will be a holistic review rather than medical.