Skiing following a stroke.

A snowHead

Hi

My father in law suffered a stroke (bleed) nearly two years ago now. He has made a reasonable recovery but has lost some sight and suffers with dyspraxia.
The sight loss is his peripheral vision in one eye has gone completely. This affects his coordination and to a lesser extent, his balance. He was a keen golfer before the stroke and has been able to get a game in here and there with friends although he’s aware that they are having to make allowances for him.
The dyspraxia means he’s quite easily confused when making sense of his surroundings – reading signs or a map is now impossible for him. He can at times struggle to hold on to lengthy verbal instructions too.
He’s in his early 70’s but is fit and keeps up his exercises - both for body and mind but he has to relearn the words for everyday objects on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. He’s said he’d like to try skiing again but can’t imagine ever having the confidence to.

The impaired vision and the dyspraxia are a frustrating combination in everyday life as it is so it’s understandable that he’d feel defeated about skiing.
Are there people trained to help with his circumstances at all? Would it be possible for someone such as myself to get training in order to be able to help him enjoy the slopes again? I know he wouldn't want to pay for a holiday with the risk that he might not actually manage to ski so I need to find something for him in the uk to start with.
They live in York so are well placed for Castleford if we were able to get some kind of help/tuition for him there. I live in the north east but would be happy to accompany him especially if it meant I could learn how to be of more help to him on the slopes myself.
.
Having had a look though a couple of the posts in this section I've emailed DSUK and Ski2freedom but I would be grateful for any information, suggestions or indeed advice from others who've been in the same position.

Thanks for reading this
G

A snowHead

I'm afraid that I can't offer any advice, but I really hope that you can sort something.

Would he be open to something like this?
http://youtube.com/v/llNokjOT5vk

I'm sure I've seen this at Hemel before. However it sounds as if he's still reasonably able so might feel a bit 'babied' by this.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks @SnoodlesMcFlude,
That's basically what he needs. He's a very sharp guy but the dyspraxia means things get muddled (As Eric Morecombe once put it .... I think you'll find I'm playing all the right notes. Just not necessarily in the right order!) so he'd need someone there at all times to aid his confidence.
The sit ski looks interesting. It would allow his muscles to remember the sensation without the worry of falling.

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@Graham Warren,

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks very much@SaraJ,
Yes I imagine it would be difficult for him at first and would mean nursery slopes for a while. With the reality being he may not progress from there. Which makes the sit ski look like a really good option. That said he's perfectly mobile and still strong enough as the stroke didn't affect him physically (other than he's quicker to tire out now) a big issue I think is the fear of falling.
He used to be pretty gung ho before but the stroke has really dented his confidence.
I don't see him wanting to do anything right away but I'll be passing this info on to him and the rest of the family and fingers crossed we'll have him back at it by next year. Looking at the price of lessons it seems reasonably enough priced to have a few fridge sessions to see how he feels about it all.
Thanks for the replies!

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I believe the Jubilee Sailing Trust is running a ski trip(s) this winter. It could be worth contacting them as the "disability" element of their trips is pretty much in the background. I have been on the Lord Nelson with them and they have fantastic empathy with those less able and bring out their strengths. Would imagine they'd do this on snow as well. Could be worth introducing your father in law to tall ships!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@jilly29, Ha ha, one thing at a time! I'll look them up though. I wonder if there's a golf/ski oriented disability group. That'd have him hooked!

After all it is free

A friend in our ski group suffered a serious bleed, rear base of skull, about six years ago. It nearly totalled him as he was asleep at night when his wife realised something serious was wrong. He, a medic, was attended by his own colleagues and friends during that emergency and has a very similar resulting set of restrictions much as you've described above, but with less effect on sight I think.

Returned to skiing about two years after the event, and skiing with friends and brother to help as required. Initially a gentle return for him but now seems to be back to a very good level. His first year back was to Flaine, no piste map really required as all in one bowl there with a simple lift right to top and gentle wide open blue all the way back to village level, so really simplified much of the decision making which could cause worry. Also never far to return to base as opposed to a longer piste journey. One of the big parts of getting out into something like this for him is how quickly tiredness builds and hence the focus on getting the activity going without having to find himself exhausted but still with a long return to do.

I think you're right in trying to focus on initial assessment of balance scope and subsequent projection of skiing ability, then if possible to make a trip with as many obstacles stripped out of the equation as possible.
As with your father in law, skiing is one of my friends great interests in life. It's something I think that can do wonders for the individual by not only going to enjoy what they love after such a serious health problem but also, and just as importantly, lets them see such a progress in themselves. It's a massively positive thing to do if achievable for your family and I've seen such a huge personal gain for someone likewise affected.
I think it's worth any effort you can give it.

Thanks@ski3,
I'm pleased to hear your friend's doing so well. There were some similar circumstances to Micko's stroke. Although his was in the day, he'd been feeling exceptionally tired. Seemingly out of the blue he suffered a massive bleed. Luckily Val, his wife, is a retired A&E staff nurse from Leeds general so was quick to act. Even so the odds weren't in his favour but happily for us he made it through.
He'd come to skiing quite late in life and only did the one trip per year but he'd spend the entire year doing leg exercises in preparation. He never had the urge to take on a black run but loved the cruisey blues.

It's very heartening to hear your friend's story. Even if Mick doesn't end up skiing again at least we know that there's the opportunity's to give it a good go.

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@ski3, love stories like this.

So heart warming to know our big ski family can adapt, and how accessible we can make it for all.

DSUK rocks! Always in awe watching them at work.

No advice for the OP I'm afraid, only that I'm sure whatever you do it'll be worth it and the joys will clear to see Little Angel

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Just bumping this thread. It's taken this long for Micko to find the confidence to give the skiing another go.
I've been onto Disability Snowsports and Castleford who've been very helpful. DSUK operates out of Manchester and Rossendale but not Castleford although they do have adaptive instruction available there.
Only thing is it's a bit of a schlep from North Tyneside.
I called Silksworth - the local dry slope in Sunderland, who do offer adaptive instruction but no longer have a sitski.
Apparently they had one from DSUK which was taken for service but not returned (just my luck).

So I need to get hold of one from somewhere...
Would anybody on here have one I could use or any notion where I might get hold of one?
I realise it's a long shot but shy bairns get nowt!

snow reports

@Hotdogger, try messaging @SaraJ, she's based in the Zillertal in Austria, however, she runs the adaptive courses for IASI (https://iasisnowsports.ie/education/adaptive/) so might have some contacts.

Thanks for the mention @swskier,
I'm sorry, I don't know anyone around that area who would have a sitski available.
It seems a bit odd that Silksworth ski was taken for servicing but hasn't come back. As far as I know, DSUK have plenty of sitskis available. Maybe the adaptive instructors at Silksworth could be encouraged to contact DSUK to find out when their ski is coming back Puzzled

You know it makes sense.

@SaraJ, @swskier, Thanks for the replies.
Yeah I've been back to DSUK with regards to this but didn't want to push too hard straight away so I've been cc'd in with someone who might be able to help. I'm going to try a couple of other avenues otherwise it'll be a trip to Manchester. I might time it with the octobertest to make a proper trip out of it.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Hotdogger
Castleford had good adaptive instructors, I don't know their recent disposition though.
It's a shame you are so far north - Or we could help you here, at Gloucester Dry slope.
We have a skier with us who suffered a series of strokes several years ago and we have worked with him across several pieces of equipment over the ten years I've been with the Gloucester Disabled Ski club.
Unfortunately, as his condition worsened and his eyesight deteriorate, we've worked our way down from:
four-track frames, to sit ski with hand-held outriggers, to now a ski kart (a sit ski where the skis are set further apart and he can direct the kart via levers), thus maintaining a high degree of independence despite his condition.
The equipment needed for your father-in-law will depend on his condition and he will need assessment by an experienced instructor.
I'm sure DSUK can be a great help in Manchester, having been there.
It's a shame you've not had an immediate response but hopefully, you now have contacts that can help.
Wishing you all the best.
Noisey.

Help!!

Skiing following a stroke.

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