Welcome to our 1st newsletter updating you on what we have been up to last year and where we are heading in 2019. This year is a celebration of Surrey Hills Rehab being established for 2 years!
Thank you all for your support this past year. I really do have the best job in the world. You keep me fit and even after 20 years (yes I am that young) of working in Rehabilitation, you keep me on my toes too. I love learning, I am always learning from you all, and for you all.
2018 has been a big year for us:
- In January we attended the 2nd workshop on NeuroFit to implement Functional Strength Training into our exercise groups.
- In February we ran the Surrey ACPIN (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology) Parkinson’s Disease update. Thank you to those that came to support us with this and even as a speaker – you know who you are!
- In April we started running our groups at St Nicholas Church Hall in Cranleigh to provide us more space as our groups grew in numbers and speed and direction of movement!
- In May the dreaded GDPR…
- In June our Pilates Physiotherapist, Eliza gave birth to adorable twins Sylvie and Luca, making Albie and Cassius big brothers, and Eliza and Phil, parents’ to 4 children under 5!! We hope they emerge from the depths of sleepless nights and nappies soon. Marianna, Pilates Physiotherapist and Hand Therapist stepped in to continue our NeuroPilates group. She continues to add calm to our minds and elongation to our postures. In June we attended the Transverse Myelitis Society course. I’ll never look at balance in the same way again – the role of the eyes and sensory feedback have been so neglected up until this.
- In August, our amazing Rehabilitation Assistant Cathy joined us full time. There aren’t many people out there with 20 years’ experience in neuro-rehabilitation and we are so lucky to benefit from her skills. She can offer 1:1 sessions at the studio or home visits.
- In September, Megan Flowers a personal trainer appeared in our lives as a volunteer – more on that later…
- In October we welcomed Sue Mobbs, a clinical specialist neurophysiotherapist from The Children’s Trust to the team. Again, we are so lucky to have such expertise in our community.
We also ran ‘Sarah’s Day’ in conjunction with TalarMade who make the TurboMed in memory of a dear friend and colleague. We offered a day of free assessments for people with Foot Drop. It was a huge success assessing 10 people, with 4 people being fully funded for their own TurboMed by Sarah’s family, meaning that for some they can now return to their love of running, climbing and back to work.
So, what will 2019 bring us?
The SHR team will be evolving, in order to offer more flexibility for assessments, 1:1 sessions and exercise groups on different days and times, at the studio at Smithbrook Kilns, Home Visits and across other village halls too.
Sue Mobbs will be setting up a specialist Children’s NeuroPhysiotherapy service. Children’s Occupational Therapy services will also start using our studio to make more use of the space available there on days where we are out and about on Home Visits and in village halls.
Alana Gardner will be joining us, to focus on services for older people. She is a physiotherapist with post-graduate training in Falls Prevention and passionate about the role of exercise and running groups.
Megan Flowers will be joining us as a Rehabilitation Assistant. This is a promotion from joining us on a voluntary basis for the past 3 months. Her background is as a Personal Trainer, but did you know she also had a stroke herself! Amazing lady! Megan will be supporting our exercise groups.
Jess Neil, physiotherapist will be offering NeuroYoga sessions.
Gaynor Wilson (no relation!) at SplashBack Therapy will be offering hydrotherapy sessions at their pool in Wintershall.
We will be supporting SMART Cranleigh, a community network to enable people to improve their quality of life and wellbeing. We hope to support their Memory Lane group for people with Dementia and offer Carers the opportunity for self-care and exercise.
We will continue to work with other Charities to make our services accessible to all; PDUK, MS Society, TALK, Dyscover, Headway, TM Society, Different Strokes, Cranleigh Lions, Cranleigh Nursing Association, Cranleigh Community Fund, who have all had involvement with us this year whether it be funding sessions for people in need or joining us with Continued Professional Development training.
As we evolve, we will be able to offer more Exercise groups. These will remain at the same price of £10-15 depending on which and where it is held. All members have a 1:1 initial assessment and we encourage you to have an annual 1:1 review to ensure we are tailoring groups to your needs.
- NeuroFit – Functional Strength Training group led by a Physiotherapist and Assistant for people with all Neurological Conditions who do not require any walking aids to balance.
- Parkinson’sFit – like NeuroFit but incorporating more of the PD Warrior principles.
- NeuroPilates – small Pilates group with a Physiotherapist tailored for people with all Neurological Conditions. Based at the studio with 2 plinths available for those unable to get down onto the floor.
- NeuroYoga – small Yoga group with a Physiotherapist tailored for people with all Neurological Conditions, based at the studio for those who can get on and off the floor.
- NeuroBox – small intensive boxing focused session, based at the studio and tailored for people with all Neurological Conditions. This group can also be attended by people in a wheelchair.
- NeuroHydro – in conjunction with SplashBack Therapy at the Hydrotherapy pool at Wintershall. This is a small exercise session based in a warm pool and led by a Physiotherapist. Please note you need to have a separate 1:1 assessment with SplashBack and need to be able to step into the pool using shallow steps with a rail for this session.
- ActiveBalanceChallenge – Functional Strength Training and Balance exercise group combined for people with all Neurological Conditions who require more support from a walking aid or at risk of falls in the larger/busier exercise groups.
- Hand Rehab – small intensive session run by either a neurophysio or hand therapist for people that experience weakness and/or sensory changes in their arm and hand.
- Falls Prevention – Balance Re-education and Functional Strength Training for older adults who are already experiencing falls or at high risk of falls.
- Pilates for the Carer/Memory Lane – A highly supportive, combined exercise group run in 2 separate rooms for both the person with Dementia in one room and their carer in another. Led by a Physiotherapist and Assistant.
Remember, we offer 15mins free tea/coffee/snack and peer support after all our groups, so please do hang around and keep us in the loop of what is going on for you.
We are always wanting your feedback and ideas about the service we provide. You can do this in person, on email, leaving a review through our Facebook page or anonymously writing to our postal address at the top of this newsletter. We want to hear it all, good and bad. This is a service based on what we see or told as being needed by you and we will evolve in the direction you take us.
Lastly but not least, as some of you may be aware, we had to say good bye to Amanda our Rehabilitation Assistant recently while she focuses on what life is throwing at her. She is very much missed, and we wish her well. Please do let me know if you want me to pass anything onto her as we continue to be in touch.
All the best and we wish you a Healthy and Happy 2019! – Kim Wilson
