What do you think of Movement to Music as a community support after stroke?

Movement to Music sessions will be held weekly over the course of four weeks for approximately 1 hour each session. Through the collaboration of a registered physiotherapist and registered neurologic music therapist (NMT), tailored movement interventions are developed utilising live improvised and familiar music to target fine and gross upper limb movements, gait, balance, and lower limb strength and control to help individuals who have had a stroke to meet their health and wellbeing aspirations. Different groups of movements will be targeted each week, but individual participants movements will be tailored to their abilities based on the evaluation data gathered by the physiotherapist and the musical and therapeutic input from the neurologic music therapist. Below are some examples of exercises for each group of movement that may be performed, including progression sequences to tailor movements to individual's abilities. Music will be played live that is familiar to the group and can be tailored to the focus of the task/session. The individuals will actively participant in instrument playing to target movements suitable for their needs and abilities. Upper limb movements: Reaching with drum sticks/shakers with variations including moving high-low, laterally, using one hand or both hands Fine motor movements: melodic instruments using single hand or fingers/bilateral, modifying complexity movements Gait: Stepping in time to beat including modifications and progressions such as stepping over objects, focusing on heel strike, doing on the spot with just one leg Balance: Stepping to targets including modifications and progressions of increasing distance, sequencing, or timing Lower limb strength: Sit to stands in beat to a familiar song, with modifications and progressions of altering height of chair Other activities for each group of movement may also be performed during the session under the direction of the physiotherapist and neurologic music therapist, depending on groups needs and abilities. Before commencing Movement to Music, each potential participant will undergo a 45-60 minute pre-intervention assessment with the registered physiotherapist. The pre-intervention assessment process will check inclusion/exclusion criteria and assess any risk factors. During the pre-intervention assessment, the registered physiotherapist will also be identifying impairment levels to guide individual activities for Movement to Music intervention sessions utilising the Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment alongside a broad clinical assessment evaluating mobility, upper limb function, specific needs, and communication. Movement to Music will be conducted with 6-8 participants in a group, over 6-8 weeks. It will include, initial pre-intervention assessment 2-3 weeks prior to the sessions, 4 weekly Movement to Music sessions with short focus groups following, and 1 focus group 1-2 weeks following the conclusion of the Movement to Music sessions. Focus groups will be approximately 15-20 minutes in length directly following the session. The focus will be on what individuals thought of the sessions and how they see Movement to Music potentially fitting in their living well after stroke journey. Topics include: - What the individual liked or wished was different about the days session - How they would describe the days session - If they'd observed any changes since the previous session