A weekly walk has become a very important piece in the rehabilitation jigsaw for some of LUHFT’s stroke patients.

Our Stroke Early Supported Discharge team created the Walk2Health group in June 2023 and over the last nine months the initiative has gone from strength to strength in being a key part in the recovery plan for some stroke patients in Liverpool and South Sefton.

On arrival to the weekly walk, patients receive a blood pressure check which is recorded to support with secondary stroke prevention. They then enjoy a group walk around the accessible park, before finishing with a coffee and quiz in the park’s café.

The combination of physical and mental activity is helping to support and maintain the health, wellbeing and cognitive function of stroke patients.

Louise Jackson, physiotherapist atThe group ready to start their walk Aintree, had the idea to create the group: “Friendships have formed, which have been a lifeline to many. We’ve gone out every week in all weathers – expect for only one occasion when it was extremely icy! The average patient covers around 2,600 steps and 1.7km per session. Their outcomes have improved, including an increase in confidence, physical ability, mental wellbeing and reducing social isolation.

“We’ve had some incredible feedback from our patients and this has helped us to continue to develop Walk2Health. We believe it’s the only one of its kind in the Cheshire and Merseyside region, and understand it’s also not widely done in the UK.”

 

You can learn more about the group below, when BBC North West Tonight came along to speak to some of our patients: