The sound of drums, trombones and violins recently echoed from a room at UCI Medical Center, where stroke patients participated in a groundbreaking music therapy program developed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Joined by students and faculty from the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts, musicians from the famed London-based orchestra led patients at the UCI Health SeniorHealth Center through interactive workshops designed to speed up recovery and naturally aid the healing process.
The visit was part of “Strokestra,” the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s pioneering stroke rehabilitation program where musicians and health care professionals work together by harnessing the power of group music-making to help stroke patients heal holistically, improve communication skills and build positive relationships.
The rehabilitative workshops have been held in the United Kingdom for nearly a decade, and the session at UCI Medical Center in January marked the first demonstration of the Strokestra program on the U.S. West Coast.
Sitting in office chairs in a large circle, patients, musicians and health care clinicians participated in group exercises that aimed to improve flexibility, motor skills and cognitive function by repairing parts of the brain that had been damaged by stroke.
In the U.K, 86% of stroke patients reported relief of disability symptoms, along with cognitive and emotional benefits, after participating in Strokestra, according to program data.
Playing music engages different parts of the brain, including areas that regulate motor control, coordination and balance, UCI health officials said.
