1. Mr Tim Day
The first day of the course provided me with a very good insight into the course, how a stroke can affect people and the need for them to be consistent and progressive with their own rehabilitation. We looked through the comprehensive course materials, which had been sent to us prior to the first day, and also the suggested course book that I had purchased in addition to the materials provided.
The latter part of the day involved Tom showed us elements of the rehabilitation exercise videos that he has produced, and we were then given time to practice the exercises while Tom observed, gave us feedback, and answered any questions we had.
Following this first day, Tom sent us links to all his instruction videos, along with a great deal of other information and relevant academic papers for us to read through.
The second and third course days involved a trip down to Lingfield, where it was good to meet and get to know Tom in person. He has obviously put a lot of time into developing the course and is able to give learners the benefits of his own experience of stoke recovery and rehabilitation. The practical days were informal and enjoyable, where on Day 2, Tom showed us his techniques for lower body exercises, and we able to practice these with other course participants, which Tom helped with technique improvements and feedback. We also spent time looking at the slides that Tom has produced and discussing the effects of stroke and what can be done to improve life following a stroke.
Day 3 in Lingfield saw us move on to upper body exercises, and we were given plenty of time to practice and discuss these together. I feel, particularly with the upper body exercises, that we learned enough on these days be able to safely use the exercises with a client, and with some more personal practice, also the lower body exercises too.
Tom has been in regular email contact with us as the course has progressed, telling us what we will be doing next and anything we need to read or do to prepare for the next stage, and providing useful links for further information. For a Level 4 course, I think the skills and knowledge base it is giving me represents good value for money, and despite the limited free time I have to work as a full time police officer and continued involvement with the Army after retirement, I am enjoying it a lot. I am looking forward to the next stage and meeting up with Tom and the other course participants again in Lingfield in May.
2. Edyta Jakubaszek
I work for a Brain Rehab Charity and I must say that I am really enjoying the ARNI stroke course and honestly think that it’s very useful to train clients who suffered a stroke.
Although I attended 3 sessions at this point I feel like I have learnt a lot more than expected. After only the first session I felt much more confident with assisting one of the stroke clients in the gym. The confidence in applying some of the techniques, learnt during the course, grew to 70% and the client enjoyed the training a lot more than before. He even asked me what I did so that I knew how to assist him in a more effective way. The training was on the next level! So yes, I am already applying the lessons in practice. I really like that the teaching is practical and functional. I feel like it will help me to change people’s lives. Really excited!
I appreciate Tom’s hard work and all materials/ resources he has been sending. It’s a lot to learn and embrace but with his help, genuine studying and attending the sessions I feel like I am moving forward and soon will be able to work confidently with stroke patients. The group sessions are fun but also packed with knowledge and practical approach. I had enough time to ask questions and I appreciated that Tom took his time to answer some of the additional burning questions I had. I cannot imagine how it is to have a stroke but I appreciate that Tom can teach it from the perspective of a person who suffered one. And I am amazed how he made it his stepping stone allowing himself to embrace those difficulties and support others who live with stroke.
The venue for day 2 and 3 was stunning and made the learning very pleasant. The Lingfield Racecourse Grandstand Suites were very spacious and well prepared to handle the group session. And the view was awesome too 🙂 I learnt a lot from the slides Tom prepared and tools/preps he brought to the session. Tom is also good with answering the emails and reassurance about the next steps. The only issue I sometimes experienced on day 2 and 3 was not being able to hear everything clearly and not catching on slides fast enough. The second one will be resolved by Tom emailing them to the students (it was a lot on them), after Day 3.
The course is good value for money and I would recommend it to others. I do hope to finish it well and use all these skills to offer more effective training to stroke survivors bringing knowledge and hope.
Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication, Tom. Edyta
3. Ian Gostling
Before beginning the course I was provided with a booklet outlining the trainings days and assessment requirements. This was sent to me 1 week before the course. I also received added literature to begin reading and a set of 7 videos, which I have found very helpful during the course.
I also got a course manual to supplement my learning . This additional resource is very extensive and covers all the practical work we have learnt so far. Up to now we have mainly focused on lower body and upper limb movements and strategies to use with stroke patients in order to begin retraining and rehabilitation. As well as understanding the role of a community instructor or therapist working from the ARNI Approach model.
Although I am not currently working 1-1 with any stroke patients, I have been able to use some of the movement patterns I have learnt with stroke survivors attending my GP referral classes. I have learnt to focus on particular muscle groups and become more aware of the unique physical limitations and symptoms following a stroke.
During the course it has been necessary to ask questions for understanding, and the course leader has often directed me to the course videos where I have found the relevant information. The course leader has an extensive knowledge of rehabilitation methods, techniques and aides, many of which were on display during the course days.
Personally I find visual and physical learning the best approach for me, especially when learning new movement patterns and techniques. I have found the in person teaching combined with the videos very helpful. I would say perhaps more video content would assist me further if it was available, particularly of the stick work / martial arts methods that we covered late in the day on day 2. As a former dancer, I find it more difficult to understand the information purely in picture form in the course manual, especially for certain fluid type movements.
I appreciate the course tutor will be on hand to answer any questions over email as well as on the day, which again is important for individual understanding. So far the course atmosphere has been very encouraging, with other members also offering support to assist learning. This is particularly important when we are learning new physical techniques that we can’t practice solo.
During the course days there is a lot of information to cover but I feel I am doing my best to keep on track with my learning, and reviewing my notes / manuals / videos to check for understanding. With the added support emails I have clear instructions on what to focus on at each stage of the course.
I think the course definitely represents good value for money, and I would recommend it to fellow colleagues – just as it was recommended to me by a colleague who went on the Course last year!
4. Scott Auty
Hi Tom,
Just wanted to say thanks for a great start to the course!
I was a little nervous after day 1 despite your best efforts to re-assure everyone that we just needed to stick at it and keep practicing the techniques in order to better understand the benefits of each. I’ve really enjoyed the regression/progression element of the techniques as this has a very important crossover with my background as a personal trainer. Indeed, there is no magic “one size fits all” approach to working with individuals so this was really refreshing to see too. Obviously patients/clients will learn/advance at different speeds so the important thing is to break down the outcome into smaller milestones that once mastered allow for a much greater quality of life. I feel your interpretation of these milestones is amazing and speaking from a first hand experience point of view I could really hear the enthusiasm in your voice when speaking about the moment that a survivor reaches each point and the impact it has for them. That feeling when a survivor is able to go from floor to standing must be magical.
I have done a little bit of therapy work back in New Zealand (mainly under the guidance of a physio at the gym) but the depth of understanding on this course so far has been amazing. I say that because it would also be very easy to go the other way and provide all the science and evidence without any practical way to apply the knowledge so on a personal level I wanted to say a huge congratulations on getting that balance right. I’ve really tried to do a lot more reading since our practical days on day 2 and 3. I probably felt like I was slightly behind the pace of the group after our first zoom call introduction, but I appreciate all attendees are coming from a varying range of backgrounds and understanding about the topic. It was nice to get everyone together for some open floor style discussion points about best practice on days 2 and 3 and then having to put yourself as a trainer through the patient’s required movements developed a great sense of empathy for what I will be facing in the real world. My own experience with working with stroke survivors is very limited, but I do believe there are a lot of cross-over skills around patience and persistence that also apply to my current client base. There was a load of course material that arrived pre-course that I was slightly overwhelmed by as I had originally been put in touch with the course through a family friend but now that I’ve had a chance to get stuck in, it really helps me understand the concept of why certain techniques are so valuable to the patient/survivor.
Overall, I’ve had a great time and really enjoyed meeting the other students as they’re all great and just to feel a little more at ease that we’re all on this journey together. I think learning by yourself can be a little bit daunting at times so having the group together encourages people to ask questions without fear of sounding silly. I certainly feel that the practical aspects are much better in the group setting as I’m able to assess across the room very quickly if I’m on par or up to speed with the correct techniques. When I was practicing techniques at home, I couldn’t get the instant feedback required to improve. I’m certainly a lot more confident in my own understanding of the key movements now and solving any problems with the full DVD set of yours you were nice enough to sort everyone out for free. Cheers.
Thanks again for a great start and looking forward to the next day of learning already!
Scotty
5. Anita Benoit
I was sent plenty of materials; manual, handouts as well as videos and books. I attended the first day via Zoom, where there was lots of information presented for our learning about stroke statistics, resources to help us, intro to neuroplasticity and evidence based approaches including some practical work practicing functional movement e.g. sit to standing and getting on and off the floor. The next 2 days were in person and a mixture of theory and practice where we got much more hands on with techniques and resources.
I had very little prior knowledge of stroke or working with stroke survivors. Some of the techniques will help me with a client I do 1:1s with who has drop foot. I have also begun shadowing the stroke group class run by Wimbledon Guild who organised funding for me to attend this training as they will be offering more classes once I qualify. On my first week after the course I was able to use the knuckle tap technique successfully to assist a stroke survivor with releasing his grip on an object. That is a really unique strategy you’ve developed and it works.
Tom is extremely competent and knowledgeable, he was very helpful in taking extra time to help me understand one particular stretching exercise more fully. I would still have liked more in person time to ensure I had a full breadth of understanding but I guess that will come in time.
6. Dave Picken
Qualitative data re Course Days 1, 2 and 3 of ARNI Functional Rehabilitation & Exercise Training After Stroke Qualification Course.
Following my acceptance onto the Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury (ARNI) Functional Rehabilitation & Exercise Training After Stroke (FRETS) Qualification Course – Cohort 1: 2024 Tom emailed me an outline about the materials I would receive.
Firstly, I received a physical copy of the book, Balchin, T (2011) The Successful Stroke Survivor: The New Guide to Functional Recovery after Stroke (1st Edition) Bagwyn. Following this I received access to a set of seven (7) online videos. This set of online videos imitated the physical material, this provided me with the option of using both sets of learning materials. I felt listening to and watching the videos best suited my learning style.
Further reading material was made accessible via an online Drop Box. This material consisted of an Evidence Based Review of Stroke studies (EBRSR). This material provided me with research documents which I found extremely beneficial, I found the information about the clinical consequences of stroke and the background concepts in stroke rehabilitation particularly crucial to my learning and progressing towards becoming an ARNI instructor.
Receiving these pre-course learning materials through different means enabled me to develop my knowledge through my own preferred learning style in preparation to the first planned Zoom interactive meeting with the other course participants. The student guide also helped me follow the structure of this meeting.
Learning by reading, watching videos and through Zoom meetings I feel developed my both my knowledge and skills in Stroke rehabilitation. Reading, Belchin, T (2020) Had a Stroke? Now What? Hospital to Rehabilitation and Beyond (1st Edition) Bagwyn, this extended my knowledge around when a Stroke occurs there is a disruption in the blood supply going to the brain and when the blood supply is interrupted either by a blood vessel blocked or by arterial bleeding this influences the number of brain cells that die in the brain. This bleed to the brain can lead to several longer-term effects.
These effects range from physical effects, balance, headaches, cognitive and behaviour changes such as anger and fatigue.
Part of my learning on day two and three included being aware of the practical aspects of Stroke rehabilitation and the learning around plasticity, the brains’ ability to remap, spasticity, the effect on the involuntary contraction of muscles and flaccidity, the lack of voluntary movement in a limb.
Watching and repeating complex broken down movements developed my knowledge on how to support a Stroke survivor to safely get to the floor from seated, to get off the floor to seated and to develop supporting a Stroke survivor to get from the seat to standing. I found understanding the benefits of stretching out hands and wrists effected with spasticity through the implementation of massage manipulation of the effected muscle groups helped form the pincer grip, which then supports the person the pickup small objects which contribute towards activities of daily living.
I felt Tom had a wealth of knowledge in this area of my learning and was able to reflect upon his own experience and daily challenges.
During day two and three the group sizes were small, interactive and provided enough time for me to learn at a speed I was comfortable and opportunities for me to ask leading questions. This I feel supported my learning style of a vicarious learner. The set up of the environment was comfortable, spacious and well planned.
On conclusion I thoroughly enjoyed the Zoom meeting; however, I really found the practical and physical learning more interactive where I felt I learnt a greater aspect about Stroke rehabilitation.
I feel happy and well informed about the course progression, however I found reading research documents more timely than the other participants on the course, myself not coming from a background of medical intervention and or adult/higher education, but 30 years serving in the Army and now as a specialist Police Officer.
However, reflecting on the course so far, I feel confident in my interpersonal skills, my ability to show empathy, communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds and abilities which I feel are essential skills needed to support Stroke survivors to enable them to reach their very best potential.
So far, the course has shown to be value for money, I have shared my current learning with my family and work colleagues who has have said that I am becoming to be more aware and knowledgeable about the aspects of the Stroke rehabilitation journey.
7. Josh Pusey
Before the course started, Tom sent out a pack of many resources, all very interesting and relevant for what we would be learning. Emails were sent out in a timely fashion which allowed me time to ask questions and clarify certain things in order to feel comfortable before the course started.
So far on the course we have looked at different methods for improving the function of stroke survivors with techniques to help them directly in day-to-day life. These techniques include but are not limited to getting up and down from a chair, getting down to and up from the floor and rolling over into a position on the floor to allow them to get up. We have also looked at multiple techniques to improve upper limb function and dexterity, as well as some of the different technologies used to help stroke survivors in day-to-day life.
I feel confident that I will be able to apply these skills with stroke survivors as we had lots of time to repetitively practice the movements and to ask questions to Tom to clarify areas we were unsure about. He was consistently able to give clear and concise answers about how to perform the techniques and why they were of such relevance. The methods are clear and easily reproducible as they are broken down into step-by-step sequences.
It is reassuring that Tom send across emails in between the course days outlining the information to read before the next course day. He is very reassuring about when to start looking further at the course assessment. It is so clear that Tom must put hours on end into his own research to provide us on the course with as much information as possible to succeed. His passion for helping stroke survivors in a way which applies the most current scientific evidence is amazing and he uses his many years of experience working in the field to bring these scenarios to life.
The atmosphere on the course is very friendly and it is a great learning environment to be involved in with the other people on the course. I have mentioned the course to some of my colleagues, in particular a physio in the North East of England who I feel could be a good candidate. The course seems to be good value for money so far and especially if it helps to bring in a streamline of survivors to help in the community afterwards, will have been more than a worthwhile investment!