A new program in Charlotte is helping stroke survivors recover during Stroke Awareness Month.
Back to Independence Rehab recently launched a “Stroke Survivor” exercise class focused on improving blood pressure, mobility and flexibility. The class started earlier this year as a free six-week pilot program and meets twice a week. About 20 people registered to receive support.
Darci Pernoud, the owner of Back to Independence Rehab, said exercise plays an important role in recovery and long-term health.
“Everyone needs to exercise. Not only to decrease any future stroke risks, ”Pernoud said. “But also to better ourselves. To be healthier, to sleep better, to maintain good weight management.”
The class is led by therapists from the gym, including 27-year-old Maggie Jones, who said working with stroke survivors has been especially meaningful.
“It’s incredibly rewarding. It’s something that is challenging for myself because I don’t know what it’s like to experience a stroke, but I definitely have put a lot of myself and the things I’m passionate about, which is spreading awareness and helping people get through their situation the best I can through exercise,” Jones said.
Sixty-six-year-old Mitch Muller attends the class and counts himself lucky to be alive after his stroke. Muller said when he first left the hospital, he could not walk and experienced paralysis on his left side.
“When I first got out of the hospital, I couldn’t walk. My whole left side was paralyzed,” Muller said. “I’ve come a long, long, long way, so it’s very encouraging and very motivating to come here.”
Muller said seeing other stroke patients during his hospital stay gave him perspective on his own recovery.
“When I was in the hospital, I was on the stroke floor, and I got out and rode around in a wheelchair, and I’ve seen a lot of people who were a lot worse off than me,” Muller said. “Some of them were lying in bed, completely paralyzed. They couldn’t talk, couldn’t move, couldn’t go to the bathroom on their own. At first, I was asking why this happened to me, but after seeing that, I consider myself very blessed and very lucky.”
Back to Independence Rehab hopes to partner with donors and community organizations to help more stroke survivors access the class.
