1. How has the stroke affected your moving abilities?
2. What motivates you to train?
3. Do you think stroke survivors overall have fun and engaging equipment or games to train with? Or can training feel quite dull with the existing tools?
4. Would physical or mental games made specifically for stroke survivors, or both, be more encouraging to stroke patients?
5. Are there even any games specifically made for stroke survivors?
6. Are there any games you could envision that could be adapted and changed to suit stroke survivors and motivate people to improve their condition?
7. I have personal experience with a stroke survivor and I realized that they haven’t used certain items to support them such as pens made specifically for stroke survivors, why do you think this would be the case for their unpopularity?
8. Do you believe that transforming everyday items, such as cups, and attaching different textures to them could help improve the awareness of sensation again and be quicker?
(Since it would be used on a daily basis and automatically?)
1. Are there any games that are popular among stroke survivors and are used as training tools for them?
1B. If no, why do you think this is the case?
2. I am interested in the recovery process for stroke survivors and training. What everyday items can you see being transformed for stroke survivors with a multi-sensory effect? (With different textures for instance OR they might struggle to use them).
3. Do you know any games in general that could be adapted for stroke survivors and could help them? (f.e. board games, arcade games, etc.)
4. What tools or exercises do you think help people the most in their healing process?
5. What do you think motivates stroke survivors the most in their healing process and when exercising? (From your experience)
6. Do you have any specific materials or textures in mind that could be attached to everyday objects and that have a healing effect, especially on stroke survivors?
7. I have personal experience with a stroke survivor and I realized that they haven’t used certain items to support them such as pens made specifically for stroke survivors, why do you think this would be the case for their unpopularity?
For this experiment, I ordered various textures and surfaces that I could adapt to everyday objects, so stroke survivors would get their automatic tactile training which they could squeeze or feel without feeling like actually performing training.
With more developed prototypes, a special cup could be magnetic and a set could come with different textures that could be applied to the cup and easily changes. With this, stroke survivors would be able to get a variety and could change it on a daily basis.
According to the NHS it is important to feel different surfaces in order to be aware of sensation again and also feel temperatures.
Therefore I first cut and then attached a training sponge, velvet, a cool pad, glass pebbles and a tactile ball.
I struggled a bit to properly attach the material with glue, nevertheless, if this was to be properly implemented it would be professionally attached with magnets as mentioned earlier. This was just for the demonstration of the idea.
The variety of magnets and different materials would be endless.
Finally, I intend to use the created objects for an intervention with stakeholders.
Could you please remind me what you did for your own MA project on this course (MA Applied Imagination), what you are currently working on, and what your main interests are?
-Psychology backgrounds, works in hospitals, research was about how workers in hospitals can feel less anxious
I am interested in the recovery process for stroke survivors (which begins in hospitals). Are you aware of any therapeutic methods or tools that could be integrated into a stroke survivor’s daily life?
-Certain colours like green and blue could be part
-Tactiles
2. Are there any gaming strategies you maybe aware of that have a therapeutic effect and could be transferred into a game for stroke survivors? Or an arcade game that comes into mind?
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3. Why do you believe that alternative healing methods are not being integrated into many patients’ healing processes (e.g. at hospitals)?
-There are actually a few in the UK, such as drawing classes, dance classes, gardening and petting animals
4. What therapeutic healing tools have you seen work the best and motivate people the most within hospital environments?
-I feel the animals always had a huge effect on people
Although you have explored healing methods for medical staff in hospitals, do you feel this could also benefit patients in certain wards?
-Some hospitals already try to change the light, the colour of inside rooms and add plants
-Even in operation rooms there are installation on the ceiling of imagery
6a. My project explores how touching everyday objects for stroke survivors can improve their sensory reaction. Are there any everyday objects you feel could be transformed and adapted with a multi sensory effect?
-Actually any object could be transformed in my opinion
6b. With this, are there any particular materials or textures within your research that you found to have healing effects on the recipient?
-I think what could help you a lot is looking into the ‘’Rhesus monkey theory’’, the ‘’Ulrich stress reduction theory’’ and the ‘’Kaplan attention restoration theory’’.
Analysis:
This interview with a past MA student was not like the rest of my interview experiences. We kept the interview going for about 40 minutes, since in between we always came across other interesting facts, such as links to experiments that could help me to understand certain topics and my topic in general better. The interview outcome clarified facts that I already knew partly, such as healing colors like blue and green, but also completely new theory’s like the three: ‘’Rhesus monkey theory’’, the ‘’Ulrich stress reduction theory’’ and the ‘’Kaplan attention restoration theory’’. Interestingly was also that the interviewee had experience within hospital environments and therefore knew what already existed in UK hospitals and the healing process, which I found extremely surprising, since from my experience in Germany I haven’t seen any interesting implementations or change, such as the adaption from light and consideration of colour as she mentioned some hospitals in the UK started to contemplate in their environment. Regarding which alternative activities already exist in hospitals, the dance and drawing classes made me think of how this could be transformed into a stroke survivor game, as it was mentioned how those are one of the popular alternative healing methods. This led me back to the ”Simon game” which came up in the interview with the physio, which has to do with music, as well as the surrealist drawing game which could be beneficial for patients after adaptions and transformations. Finally, the most interesting part was the fact that I was able to interact with this past student who was from a completely different field, and gave me insights into outstanding experiments and theory’s as mentioned above.
->This interview was recorded and can be listened to on request
The benefit and point of this model is the fact that it displays the life experiences that disabled people have every day and shows how exclusion of the disabled could be avoided while they would not need to change who they represent and are as a person. In this case, it would be assumed and aimed for them to receive the same opportunities as every other person.
This model was originally created by disabled people to fight against their domination from the rest and their injustice.
There is a traditional medical model existing that describes a disabled person, such as listing all the points that are examples of what a person cannot do, such as walk, talk or see. Which then concluded that they also automatically won’t work or do anything supportive.
On the other hand the social model of disability presents all the points and examples in society, that are excluding them and the way society is structured in which they are not receiving a chance to be part of performing equal activities.
The reason why it is so important to look at this is due to the fact of how many people are affected by it. According to WHO, about one billion people suffer from a stroke.
Overall, the medical tool of disability reflects the fact that the disability is the issue inside an individual and the reason why they are not able to perform normally in society is their deficiency.
The general focus lays on the issue being the person and not the environment. For instance, a patient in a wheelchair not being able to move around a building and them having issues with it is due to them not being able to, not the building’s issue.
This model makes the disabled often feel unwelcome and eliminated from the rest and society.
To summarize the social model of disability, which was created in the 70’s and 80’s by activists, claims that if our surroundings and society build in the way that everyone could move, nobody would feel restricted in the first place. This model claims that no person is the issue, but simply the way houses or institutions are often built. Simple integrations would even make this possible, such as building entrances in a different way.
Dr. Nancy Doyle mentioned in a Forbes article that if a city or cities would be build then everyone could use them without any issue, the disabled would not feel like there would be an issue anymore.
Q: Which are the most popular products sold on your site? Please give a brief explanation why.
A: StimOne, SaeboStim Pro and SaeboGlove . There is not a simple answer why these are most popular but some factors may be – ease of use, dynamic tools for rehab i.e. assist working on regaining movement, and they are supported by evidence base in rehab ( see new National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke)
Q: Many of your products focus on physical stimulation, do you see a gap to improve mental strength such as memory?
A: Not within the customer base that we target, no.
Q: My research for stroke patients is based on interacting with everyday objects, which of your items are everyday objects which have been transformed especially for stroke survivors, and which objects can you see being transformed in the future?
A: A lot of our customers need to gain enough movement to be able to interact with everyday object first. This is why our products are focused on regaining activity. The Saeboglove is the product closest to enable stroke survivors to interact with the environment.
Q: Which of the products are portable and can be used in versatile spaces (e.g. travelling on public transport, backpacks etc)?
A: SaeboStep, SaeboGlove, SaeboStim one and SaeboStim pro . These are mainly tools that would be attached to the person rather than carrying them.
Q: Which of your products could turn into effective gaming strategies focussing on the mind?
A: None
Q: Having personal experience and interaction with a stroke survivor, I realised that they haven’t used certain items to support them such as pens made specifically for stroke survivors, why do you think this would be the case for their unpopularity?
A: I wouldn’t say this is unpopular, it is often due to lack of knowledge and lack of resources to access these.
Q: What motivates stroke survivors the most during training? E.g. tools, objects, items etc.
A: This is a question for stroke survivors – everyone is motivated slightly different depending on their goals and stage in their rehab journey
Q: A key strategy for improvement is engaging with textures for stroke survivors, which materials and textures would you recommend that assist this process that are most beneficial for sensory development?
A: This is only key if they have sensory impairment which not every stroke survivor has. For those that have a sensory impairment variety is key rather than any one texture.
Analysis:
This interview gave me good industry insights and at the same time, connection to a medical view. Nevertheless, it confirmed for me how even the popular tools are very expensive and therefore do not seem accessible. The mentioned tools in the first question are all around the 130$-330$ price range.
On top of that, the information provided does not connect tools that both help to build up on physical, as well as mental strength to fill the existing gap.
It was also interesting to find out why tools like pens made for stroke survivors are not used by many, since I realized this from my experience and observation in the past. I found out that this was due to people not being aware what is actually out there and possible.
The stress was also on how diverse textures are especially important and not just one particular texture, for patients who struggle with that, therefore my thoughts of including as many as possible was on the right track.
Although the objects mentioned are suggested to be portable, this does not still seem to be the case, unlike the training ball that can be taken into spaces and is easily interactive.
->Proof/screenshots of this can be found on this blog
I am interested in the recovery process for stroke survivors (which begins in hospitals). Are you aware of any therapeutic methods or tools that could be integrated into a stroke survivor’s daily life?
Are there any gaming strategies you maybe aware of that have a therapeutic effect and could be transferred into a game for stroke survivors?
Why do you believe that alternative healing methods are not being integrated into many patients’ healing processes (e.g. at hospitals)?
What therapeutic healing tools have you seen work the best and motivate people the most within hospital environments?
Although you have explored healing methods for medical staff in hospitals, do you feel this could also benefit patients in certain wards?
My project explores how touching everyday objects for stroke survivors can improve their sensory reactions. Are there any everyday objects you feel could be transformed and adapted with a multi-sensory effect?
With this, are there any particular materials or textures within your research that you found to have healing effects on the recipient?
In order to test and try different surfaces that could improve sensory responses, I ordered cups and different materials which I will then later attach to the cups.
The materials vary from soft to hard, to materials that can be heated up or cooled down, to experiment additionally with temperature.
Finally, I included materials that are already being used for stroke survivors but can be transformed into everyday objects.
Which are the most popular products sold on your site? Please give a brief explanation why.
StimOne, SaeboStim Pro and SaeboGlove . There is not a simple answer why these are most popular but some factors may be – ease of use, dynamic tools for rehab i.e. assist working on regaining movement, and they are supported by evidence base in rehab ( see new National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke)
2. Many of your products focus on physical stimulation, do you see a gap to improve mental strength such as memory?
Not within the customer base that we target, no.
3. My research for stroke patients is based on interacting with everyday objects, which of your items are everyday objects which have been transformed especially for stroke survivors, and which objects can you see being transformed in the future?
A lot of our customers need to gain enough movement to be able to interact with everyday object first. This is why our products are focused on regaining activity. The Saeboglove is the product closest to enable stroke survivors to interact with the environment.
4. Which of the products are portable and can be used in versatile spaces (e.g. travelling on public transport, backpacks, etc)?
SaeboStep, SaeboGlove, SaeboStim one and SaeboStim pro . These are mainly tools that would be attached to the person rather than carrying them.
5. Which of your products could turn into effective gaming strategies focussing on the mind?
None
6. Having personal experience and interaction with a stroke survivor, I realised that they haven’t used certain items to support them such as pens made specifically for stroke survivors, why do you think this would be the case for their unpopularity?
I wouldn’t say this is unpopular, it is often due to lack of knowledge and lack of resources to access these.
7. What motivates stroke survivors the most during training? E.g. tools, objects, items etc.
This is a question for stroke survivors – everyone is motivated slightly different depending on their goals and stage in their rehab journey
8. A key strategy for improvement is engaging with textures for stroke survivors, which materials and textures would you recommend that assist this process that are most beneficial for sensory development?
This is only key if they have sensory impairment which not every stroke survivor has. For those that have a sensory impairment variety is key rather than any one texture.
After I had reached out to many experts from charities, as well as physios and companies that develop products for stroke survivors, I finally received an answer from an expert from the company ”Saebo” which develops products for stroke patients.
Consequently, I put together a few questions, which are following in the next blog.
