STROKE researcher Heidi Janssen has received the Hunter Medical Research Institute's first Women in Medical Research Fellowship to help her develop a program to connect survivors with the community.
Dr Janssen's project aims to develop a community-based rehabilitation program incorporating various activities including singing, dancing and art to stimulate patient recovery.
Dr Janssen is a physiotherapist at John Hunter Hospital who works closely with health care providers to help stroke survivors reconnect with the lives they lived prior to their illness.
Her early PhD research led to the concept of creating environments in hospital settings, where patients had more opportunities to exercise and socialise.
The three-year $285,000 fellowship was provided by an anonymous donor from the institute.
Dr Janssen said the aim was to fill gaps which existed in the system for rehabilitating patients.
"Whether they've experienced speech, balance, physical or sensory impairments, it can be difficult for people to live independently in the way they did before the stroke," she said.
"Often, they need more time to recover but they've got few places to go after returning home."
The study aims to connect stroke survivors, carers, health services and community groups to translate research into practical applications.
The program was introduced to help talented female researchers avoid the silent "brain drain" impacting them during their critical mid-career junctures.
For more details on the fellowship, click here.
