RUNNING HEAD: STROKE SURVIVOR COMMUNITY RECREATION

Stroke Survivor Community Recreation

Ashley McMurdie
Brigham Young University

STROKE SURVIVOR COMMUNITY RECREATION

Article Discussion
Summary
In an attempt to improve their well being, a small group of patients who suffered from a stroke
were teamed up with a group of recreation therapists. The recreation therapists were attempting
to improve the well being of the stroke survivors. The strategies employed were group
togetherness, photovoice, and participant administration.
Strategy 1. Many positive outcomes came from the group sticking together and
associating with one another. Many accounts from the article refer to the relief that the patients
experienced from working with others like them. They didnt feel quite so alone and felt more
motivation to participate because they saw the progress that others who had a stroke were
making. Being with others made them happier because they could relate to others. The
community-based recreation brought confidence to the participants.
Strategy 2. Photovoice was the term coined by the therapists to refer to the photography
reporting that was part of the study. Because of the limited functionality of the stroke survivors,
photography was perhaps the more accurate representation of the experiences of study. Cameras
were around for all recreation activities and then photos were reviewed to decide on the best ones
that represented the outings. Photography was an unstrained way for the survivors to report
compared to forming words, sounds and thoughts.
Strategy 3. The fourteen participants played an active role in the administration of the
study. They felt in control and gave valuable suggestions as to how to improve the
measurements. The patients grew more confident throughout the course of the study because of

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their recreation within the community and the trust the therapists gave them to provide categories
for reporting.
Strengths
This article was strong because it gave hope and insight to the future of community based
recreation. The writers suggested possible studies that others could perform which would
complement their work. The article was strong because it was written from a unique perspective.
The researchers were willing to look from perspectives and take considerations that no one else
had. They broke away from the paradigm that recreation study has to be the way its always
been. Another strength was the extensive documentation and charting used to keep track of
everything that occurred in the study. This record keeping allowed for proper reporting and will
prove to be a valuable resource for others who are interested in collaborative rehabilitation.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses of the article include the inability to return definitive results. Because the group of
stroke survivors being studied was only made of fourteen people, no statistically significant
conclusions can be drawn. Its unfortunate that the group was small because community
recreation provided major positive results and more could have had the opportunity to improve
their situation either by participating in the study or from action that could have been taken if a
larger group produced the same positive outcome.
Application
In an optimistic tone the article returns data developed from the recreation practices. This article
can be used for those who are hoping to perform studies of their own related to stroke recovery
or collaborative therapy. This article proves the value of working together with others in ones

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situation. No matter what the recreation was, as long as the participants could recreate in the
company of others, the result was positive. This article is applicable to a few populations. Not
only can rec therapists and researchers reference this article, but stroke survivors and their
families could as well. The article is written in sophisticated but plain language making it easier
for the common man to decipher its message compared to other research articles. The results that
this small study produced can be applied by the loved ones of stroke survivors because they can
play the role of the therapist who takes the survivor into the community. The survivors after
reading this article may be inspired to find and associate with other stroke survivors.
Concluding Opinion
I am a people person and was drawn to this article because it involved the community as a role in
the therapy for stroke survivors. I believe being around other people is empowering. The stroke
survivors felt this empowerment when they got to know one another a bit better and shared their
experiences. This article expresses the power and friends and recreation, two of my favorite
things. I loved how every participant left the study in a much better state emotionally and even
physically. This article is proof that even a disability as serious as stroke does not limit the good
that can come to and from an individual.

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References
Hebblethwaite, S., & Curley, L. (2015). Exploring the Role of Community Recreation in Stroke
Recovery Using Participatory Action Research and Photovoice. Therapeutic Recreation
Journal, 49(1). Retrieved from http://js.sagamorepub.com/trj/article/view/5433