“Every stroke, every story, and every recovery is different,” says Stefanie Wasserman, LCSW and leader of one of our stroke support groups.
A few months ago we shared with you the incredible partnership we have with the community in identifying strokes early. I want to share with you the many other services we have to support our stroke survivors.
We have been hosting a Stroke Survivor Support Group at Union Square for several years. Survivors meet every week to provide support to each other by sharing their personal experiences and advice on how to overcome daily struggles specific to stroke survivors. Peterson Masigan, Stroke Program Manager for Mount Sinai Beth Israel, facilitates this group.
We also recently created Early Onset Stroke Support Group that provides a safe space for stroke survivors between the age of 21 and 50. About 10% of stroke survivors are in this category, and they do not always feel like they fit into other stroke support groups that typically have older members. Stefanie Wasserman, LCSW and Kat Safavi, LCSW allow the group members to share stories and exchange ideas about life as a young stroke survivor.
In addition, our world-renowned Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy hosts a choir for stroke survivors that meets on Monday nights at Union Square. Anyone who wants to make music can join and support survivors and their families through song.
Check out the video below to see them in action.