Stroke camp offers relaxation for survivors, caregivers

Life had changed so rapidly.

After Bryan Arkins suffered a stroke in December of 2023, the world was upended for the Greenwood resident and his wife, Erin. He spent extended time in the hospital and then in rehabilitation therapy. He had to relearn basic skills around the house, while Erin adjusted to becoming a caregiver for her husband.

For eight months, they struggled through their new reality. So when Bryan Arkins found information about the Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camp offered by Franciscan Health, he suggested they try it.

“Not knowing what to expect going into it, it was a real eye-opener. It was nice. To take a line from Disney’s ‘The Incredibles,’ when everybody is special, no one is special. Because everyone had an issue there, you didn’t feel like you were in a spotlight,” Bryan Arkins said.

The Arkins are two of the countless stroke survivors and their caregivers who have found comfort and camaraderie at the Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camp. Aimed at improving the quality of life for stroke survivors, caregivers, and their families, the camp focuses on education, relaxation, crafts, games, socialization, discussion, pampering and entertainment.

Participants roast marshmallows, play yard games, eat meals together and compete in activities. Break-out sessions for both survivors and caregivers offer a chance to connect with other people experiencing the same situations.

“Unfortunately, as part of stroke recovery, there’s a lot of isolation,” said Lindsay Buck, neurosciences manager for Franciscan Health Central Indiana. “There’s a sense of community that brings people together.”

This year’s camp is scheduled from Aug. 16 to 18 at Waycross Camp and Conference Center in Morgantown.

“It’s absolutely worth it,” Bryan Arkins said.

This will be the 20th year of the Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camps, which are held in locations throughout the country. The idea came from a caregiver named Marylee Nunley, whose husband John suffered a stroke in 2001. She rallied her community and held the first camp in 2004 in Illinois.

Since then, the concept has spread to 19 locations, including one in Indiana hosted by Franciscan Health.

“It’s really about bringing together survivors and their caregivers — spouses, family, friends, anybody who’s that survivor’s primary support system,” said Laura Williams, stroke program coordinator for Franciscan Health Central Indiana. “It brings them together as a peer group to share their experiences and receive support, to embrace what their new normal is and still engage in an activity, to see how that looks after their stroke.”

The camp weekend consists of activities such as community meals, games, campfires and sports such as archery and swimming. On Saturday, organizers have planned a pampering sessions, where participants can get massages, have their nails done, and receive foot massages and facials.

All of the activities are optional, so if you need to take a break, you can, Buck said.

“No matter where you’re at in your phase of recovery, it provides something for everyone. Even if you’re five or six years out from your stroke, you’ll benefit from this weekend,” she said. “We’ve even had people further out from their stroke saying they enjoy being there to help people who are newer to this, because it gives them the sense that they’re helping give back.”

One of the keys of the camp experience are “break-out” sessions, where stroke survivors gather together while caregivers meet on their own. The confidential sessions gives each group the opportunity to share freely with others in similar situations.

“It allows people to share those emotions and feelings and ideas. Sometimes, the conversations are more emotional, and other times it’s actually sharing advice and suggestions with one another,” Buck said.

When the Arkins found out about the camp on social media, they started investigating what it entailed. Initially, Erin Arkins thought it sounded like a good opportunity for Bryan, though she was unsure what the experience would be for her.

The camp turned out to be beneficial for both, Erin said.

“When we signed up, I thought of it as something for Bryan. In the back of my mind, I thought this would be important for him even though it would be exhausting for me to get him in a new location and a new environment, all of the things that go along with that. We were only eight months into his stroke, so I was in caregiver-exhaustion mode,” she said. “What I didn’t expect was it to be a great thing for me too.”

Organizers make an effort to focus as much on the caregivers as they do the stroke survivors, Erin said. Camp staff are constantly offering to help with the survivors, allowing caregivers to relax and enjoy the weekend.

The break-out sessions provided a wealth of resources, both from other caregivers who have been through caring for a loved one with a stroke as well as tools available in the community.

“I came away getting just as much out of it as Bryan did, which was a pleasant surprise,” she said.

That impact was not lost on Bryan.

“I got to feel not like a burden during those two days,” he said.

The camp is made possible by the work of the Franciscan Health Stroke Center, the Franciscan Health Foundation and Franciscan Rehabilitation Services. Registration is is $150 per person and scholarship opportunities are available for financial hardship through United Stroke Alliance.

Describing the camp does not fully encapsulate what the experience was like, the Arkins said. But as a couple who have been through a stroke, they can’t emphasize enough how worthwhile their time was.

“For both the survivor and the caregiver, it can feel very isolating and lonely. It’s easy to get down and feel isolated,” Erin said. “Having a place to go where people understand what it’s like and what you’re going through was really great.”

IF YOU GO

Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camp

What: A weekend designed specifically for survivors and caregivers to focus on education, relaxation, crafts, games, socialization, discussion, pampering and entertainment in a comfortable and informal setting.

When: Aug. 16-18

Where: Waycross Camp and Conference Center, 4879 Richards Road, Morgantown

Cost: $150 per person, though scholarship opportunities are available for financial hardship through United Stroke Alliance. The camp is made possible by the work of the Franciscan Health Stroke Center, the Franciscan Health Foundation and Franciscan Rehabilitation Services.

For more information, please contact Laura Williams at [email protected] or call (317) 528-8872.

Register for the Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camp at unitedstrokealliance.regfox.com/camper-indianapolis-in-area-stroke-camp-2024 or call (309) 688-5450. Space is limited.