Lay summary
After stroke, regular moderate to high intensity exercise is important to prevent another stroke and improve function. However, this is seldom put into practice due to competing priorities for therapist time and patient and therapist concerns around safety. The risk factors for stroke are similar to those following a cardiac event, with both occurring due to poor cardiovascular health. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes are standard care after a cardiac event, and provide a safe, supervised environment to support return to exercise, management of lifestyle factors and self-efficacy to manage their condition independently. There is no equivalent programme for people with stroke.
This study will explore current cardiovascular training post-stroke in Te Whatu Ora, and use co-design with clinicians, people with stroke and whanau to develop and test a community-based interdisciplinary service model for post-stroke cardiovascular training.