Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke

Vision

More people after stroke, more active more often, exercising safely and effectively.

Welcome to the Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke Specialist Instructor Training Course website. This course has been designed to provide exercise instructors and other suitably qualified practitioners with an accredited qualification, which will enable them to provide exercise classes that are safe, effective, appropriate and enjoyable for people who have had a stroke.

This website details information about recent developments, the background to this course, an overview of the course content, entry requirements, the course team, our Reference Group and our Funders .

In order to meet the rapidly growing demand in the UK for the Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke specialist instructor course, we are delighted to announce that University of Edinburgh and Queen Margaret University have licensed LaterLife Training (LLT) ( http://www.laterlifetraining.co.uk/ExerciseAfterStroke.html), to take over the administration and roll-out of the course from April 2010. LLT has extensive experience in running specialist instructor training courses across the UK and have successfully run numerous courses for health care professionals and fitness instructors for years. The Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke course fits well into the company’s existing portfolio of other exercise courses (e.g. the Postural Stability Instructor Training Course), which are considered as the national gold standard.

Our vision is that this qualification will be the UK gold standard in this specialist field, and that the instructors who qualify in ‘Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke’ will lead the development of the community Exercise after Stroke Services.

Course dates and venues will be added to the LLT course dates page, in the meantime please contact LaterLife Training. If you are interested in attending or hosting a course, please contact the LLT Stroke Course Co-ordinator Sara Wicebloom Paul using the contact details below:

Later Life Training
Soapstone Studios
Finlarig Road
Dulnain Bridge
Morayshire PH26 3NU
Tel: 01479 780541
e-mail: sara.paul @laterlifetraining.co.uk

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There is an increasing need for people who have had a stroke to engage in exercise, as a stroke often results in reduced strength, mobility, fitness, mood as well as social isolation. Many of these problems could be alleviated through exercise, but a stroke may also result in a myriad of additional challenges such as pain, impaired movement or comprehension, which may render it difficult for people with stroke to access exercise facilities.

These challenges - as well as other complications - need to be recognised and managed effectively by exercise instructors to enable people to exercise safely. Thus, providing exercise classes for people after stroke can be hugely rewarding – but this requires specialist knowledge and brings with it a considerable responsibility.

Although there is an increasing number of exercise referral schemes for people who have had a stroke, there was - until recently - no accredited course for exercise instructors to work with this population. This accredited Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke Specialist Instructor Training Course has been designed to fill this gap.

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Aim

The overall aim of this course is to enable Specialist Exercise Instructors and other suitably qualified staff (e.g. Physiotherapists) to design, implement and evaluate physical activity programmes for people after stroke that are safe, effective, appropriate and enjoyable, based on current evidence, and in accordance with the relevant clinical guidelines (1), national service frameworks (2), national occupational standards (3)(4) and educational standards (5).

Content

This 20-credit course at SCQF level 8 (comparable to BSc(Hons) level 2), comprises a total of 200 hours of student work. This includes lectures, tutorials and practical workshops.

In terms of content, the course follows the patient journey from acute stroke through to rehabilitation and referral into an exercise referral scheme. It concentrates on the role of the specialist exercise instructor in assessing the person with stroke, designing and delivering exercise programmes, evaluating their effects, as well as working as a professional as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Along the way, the following topics are covered:

• the pathology of stroke;
• the input of the multidisciplinary team in the management of stroke;
• fitness levels after stroke and its impact on function;
• evidence for physical activity after stroke and the impact of physical activity on risk factors in stroke;
• indications and contra-indications to exercise after stroke; clinical guidelines;
• the implications of co-morbidities and medications on exercise performance;
• motivation and communication strategies aimed at improving health behaviour;
• relevant professional standards pertaining to ethical issues including; confidentiality and risk management and national service frameworks. 

Clicking on an image will take you to a larger version of the photograph

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Entry requirements

In order to enter the course, the candidate must be able to demonstrate successful completion of:

• NVQ Level 3 (and Register for Exercise Professionals (REPS) Level 3) Advanced Personal Trainer or Diploma in Exercise and Physical Activity Instructor Award OR NVQ Level 3 Exercise for the Older Person Advanced Instructor Award, OR NVQ Level 3 Exercise for Pre and post Natal Women Advanced Instructor Award; OR NVQ Level 3 Exercise fro Referred Populations Advanced Instructor Award; OR NVQ Level 3 Exercise for People with Disabilities Advanced Instructor Award; OR NVQ Level 2 (REPS Level 2) Physical Activity Instructor Award with equivalent experience through APL (e.g. working with patients).

• This unit should only be attempted on successful completion of, or in conjunction with, the advanced instructor core units D437 (collect and analyse information to plan a progressive physical activity programme), D438 (plan, review and adapt a progressive physical activity programme), D439 (plan and instruct specific physical activities), C313 (provide motivation and support to clients during a progressive physical activity programme), D440 (apply the principles of nutrition and weight management to a progressive physical activity programme), A318 (manage, evaluate and improve own performance in providing physical activity), OR

• BSc Physiotherapy BSc Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, OR

• BSc Exercise, Sports or Health Science.

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If you are interested in attending or hosting an Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke course, please contact the LLT Stroke Course Co-ordinator Sara Wicebloom Paul using the contact details below:

Later Life Training
Soapstone Studios
Finlarig Road
Dulnain Bridge
Morayshire PH26 3NU
Tel: 01479 780541
e-mail: sara.paul @laterlifetraining.co.uk

References

1. Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party (2008). National clinical guideline for stroke (3rd edition). London: Royal College of Physicians.
   This work can be found via the publisher's webpages: http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/publications/Pages/publications.aspx
2. Department of Health (2001). Exercise Referral Systems: A national quality assurance framework. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
   PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009671
3. SkillsActive. National SkillsActive Physical Activity Standards for people after Stroke (Unit D561). http://www.skillsactive.com/training/standards/level-4/Physical-Activity-and-Health/
4. Register for Exercise Professionals: http://www.exerciseregister.org/
5. Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (2006). Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (2001). http://www.scqf.org.uk/AbouttheFramework/Overview-of-Framework.aspx

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