Tea and scones and therapy

14 Apr 2016

14 April 2016

The patients, including Neville Johnson, Andrew Page and Steve Guthrie, made the scones recently as a part of the hospital’s Speech and Occupational Therapy (SPOT) rehabilitation group.

Senior Speech Pathologist Sarah Hammond said functional and fun activities such as making scones, provided an opportunity for patients to socialise and encouraged participation.

“Tasks such as following recipes provide patients with real life therapy opportunities,” she said.

“Patients are invited to participate in activities that encourage them to use functional communication and it hopefully improves their confidence in being involved in group conversations. After stroke, patients can often feel very self-conscious about their speech and communication.”

Occupational Therapist Catherine Udall said functional tasks such as performing cooking and gardening offered real life situations for patients to practice and gain confidence before they return home.

“After a patient has had a stroke, they have to relearn a whole range of skills and this group provides a platform for patients to improve their overall skills in one session,” she said.