Simple activity could help stroke survivors recover and boost quality of life

Simple activity could help stroke survivors recover and boost quality of life People can participate at whatever level they want A popular pastime could help patients recover from a stroke, new research suggests American scientists say bird watching could provide a natural, low-pressure environment that facilitates communication through shared attention and curiosity. Each summer, stroke survivors are enrolled in the University of Montana’s Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP) and take part in community- and curiosity-led bird-themed activities. Bird researchers and speech-language experts offer healing activities as part of the project. Co-director Doctor Jenna Musick said: “The linguistic demand is low, and people can participate at whatever level they want." The team is working to measure outcomes, train clinicians and scale up the approach. The goal is that similar programmes can support stroke survivors with aphasia beyond Montana in the US. The partnership began in 2021 on an outdoor campus patio. ICAP participants expressed an interest in learning more about owls as part of their rehab activities. Owl artefacts - including preserved specimens and related materials - piqued participants’ curiosity and created opportunities to practise conversation. The activity evolved into an ongoing collaboration between Dr Victoria Dreitz, an avian ecologist, plus Dr Musick and Professor Catherine Off, experts in stroke rehabilitation and research. From the artefacts to nesting hawks, Dr Musick says the partnership has grown into an essential component of the UM birding programme. She said avian observation shows how nature experiences support communicative participation, engagement and quality of life for people with aphasia. What is aphasia? The NHS explains that aphasia (also called dysphasia) "is a condition that makes it difficult to communicate. It can make it hard to speak, read, write and understand others. It's often caused by a stroke or brain injury. There's no cure, but people usually improve with treatment." It affects people in different ways, but symptoms may include: - not being able to say the right words, speaking very slowly or with long pauses - finding it very difficult to speak, or speaking in very short or incomplete sentences - repeating, mixing up or missing out words - making up words or sounds - not being able to understand what other people are saying, particularly if you cannot see them - difficulty reading or writing One in three stroke survivors experience this and often have trouble speaking, understanding spoken language, and reading and writing. According to the study, published in Frontiers in Bird Science, the condition can reduce people’s ability to take part in community life, increasing the risk of isolation and depression. Proffessor Off, who co-directs the project, said: “Aphasia is an identity theft. People with aphasia do not have intellectual challenges. They are themselves inside their own head. The challenge is that their language function has changed.” She said the most effective rehabilitation strategies incorporate clinical treatment with opportunities for meaningful engagement in real life. Prof Off added: “Communication function doesn’t improve until you want to communicate about something. We’re out of the therapy room now. We’re saying: enjoy being with people, enjoy being outside and let the communication come.” Dr Dreitz says birds are, perhaps unexpectedly, especially well-suited to that approach. She said the Montana campus is home to many bird species and is an ideal location for offering bird-centred experiences to on-site participants in the clinical programme. The doctor added that bird watching in group settings fosters engagement through shared attention during a nature experience - both of which have been shown to improve well-being. She said: "Birdsong and calls, bird movements and seasonal rhythms, and birds’ nearly universal presence in both urban and rural areas make them both accessible and interesting. “Birds are one of those rare things where your entry point can be anywhere – from sitting and staring out a window to mapping out a trail to see a unique species. You can start where you’re at. What do you have in your backyard? That’s what it's about.” 'Most unique collaboration' The team say the Avian Science Centre at the University of Montana's most unique collaboration is the partnership with speech-language pathology. Dr Musick said: "Communication challenges like aphasia often leave people feeling disconnected from former identities and activities. People may feel they can’t return to the hobbies they once loved, but finding a new passion can create excitement and purpose." The team supports ICAP participants through bird-centered engagement. Stroke survivors can talk about what they’re seeing, ask questions, help each other use the equipment, and carry on the conversation with their families afterwards. Dr Musick added: “They go home that night and talk to their care partners about it. It creates ongoing conversation.”