Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network

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Fitness Instructor Training Programme: Community-Based Exercise for People Living with Stroke

Exercise programmes and physical activity counselling have been shown to be an integral part of self-management strategies for people living with chronic disease. The expertise of physiotherapists has been used to develop a training package to train fitness instructors to deliver a community exercise programme for people living with stroke. This approach provides improved access to stroke-specific exercise programmes and will better allow community-dwelling people with stroke to maintain function and mobility while more fully participating in their community.

The Goal

The ultimate goal of this project is to build capacity in the health care system by providing a safe and effective community exercise programme focused on and accessible to people living with stroke.

The Programme

An instructor training package was produced in DVD format in order to provide a standardized, competency-based approach to training. Completion of the training programme enables non-health care professionals to deliver an exercise programme based on best practice to people living with stroke. This strategy is one way to utilize the expertise of physiotherapists, while more fully integrating community programmes into the continuum of stroke care.

Target Audience

This training programme may be of interest to:

• Individuals involved with, or interested in, fitness instruction
• Health care professionals associated with stroke rehabilitation or community reintegration
• Stakeholders interested in the development and implementation of a community exercise class for people with stroke

Demonstration Videos

Please note: The demonstration videos provided are abbreviated versions of the “Fitness Instructor Training Programme: Community-Based Exercise for People Living with Stroke”. The videos are designed to provide an overview only and highlight specific features and the general content included in the full training package.

How To Use The DVD Training Programme

Section 1 : Programme Background

Section 2 : What is Stroke?

Section 3 : Stroke and Exercise

Section 4 : Key Components

Section 5 : Programme Management

Section 6 : Closing and Next Steps

Step Ups