STROKESTRA - post-stroke orchestra
Research type
Research Study
Full title
STROKESTRA: A Research Project to Explore the Implementation and Impact of a Post-stroke Orchestral Rehabilitation Programme
IRAS ID
257915
Contact name
Elaine King
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
"Research Summary"
Strokestra is a programme developed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in partnership with Hull and East Riding Community Stroke Service (see https://www.rpo.co.uk/rpo-resound/strokestra). This programme delivers instrumental music-making workshops to people who have had a stroke and their carers, with the aim of contributing to physical, emotional, functional, cognitive and social recovery. The programme will be delivered in parallel groups to:
1) Individuals with recent experience of stroke and at an early stage in their recovery/caring journey. These workshops will take place in a nursing home (stroke unit).
2) Individuals with less recent experience of stroke and at a later stage in their recovery/caring journey. These workshops will take place in a community venue.This research project will explore the delivery and impact of the Strokestra programme being conducted during 2019-2021. The research will explore the perspectives of multiple participants of their experiences of participating in and/or facilitating the programme. The research will explore the following:
* Progress and change for participants (stroke patients/carers) through standardised measures (Stroke Impact Scale; WHO-5 Wellbeing Index; Carer Strain Index);
* Participants' experiences of taking part in the programme;
* The work that programme facilitators undertake to implement, deliver and support the programme;
* How nursing home staff and managers (in which some of the sessions are conducted) work to support externally delivered programmes.Data will be undertaken using a range of methods including: standardised measures compared over time; semi-structured interviews; observations of sessions; end of programme evaluation forms. Participants will include stroke patients and carers, and programme facilitators (musicians, clinicians, care home staff/managers; project staff/managers).
"Summary of results"
This research project explored the effectiveness of a pioneering stroke rehabilitation programme called the STROKESTRA Community Programme (SCP). The SCP aimed to facilitate recovery in stroke survivors and to support their carers through orchestral music-making. Existing research and intervention studies indicate that music can be an effective therapeutic tool for stroke survivors; however, the SCP is a unique programme through its use of music group work with orchestral instruments.The SCP was delivered by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) with assistance from volunteers, including University music students and community workers. The programme ran in "terms", each comprising a series of music workshops culminating in a live public orchestral performance given by everyone involved in the programme (stroke survivors, carers, musicians and volunteers). All workshops and performances took place in community venues.
The rationale for the research project was to provide an independent evaluation of the SCP for the RPO. There were three aims: (1) to identify the different strategies required to implement the SCP, including potential barriers; (2) to investigate people's experiences of participating in the SCP; and (3) to explore how leaders, musicians and volunteers facilitated the programme.
The overall objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the SCP and to develop guidance for implementing and facilitating an arts-based rehabilitation programme in a community setting. The research adopted a multi-method approach using semi-structured interviews and observations, the key findings of which are presented in this report.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
19/WA/0128
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion