Stroke Rehab

Scientific research has shown that stroke rehabilitation is critical for optimal stroke recovery.

Stroke rehab is the process by which a stroke survivor works with a team of health care providers with the aim of regaining as much of the function lost after a stroke as possible. By joining a comprehensive rehabilitation program immediately after leaving the hospital, stroke survivors can maximize their chances of recovery, and in most cases they can regain a substantial portion of the functions they lost as a result of their stroke.

Successful rehabilitation depends on various factors, which include:

• Amount of damage to the brain
• Skill on the part of the rehabilitation team
• Cooperation of family and friends
• Timing of rehabilitation – the earlier it begins the more likely survivors are to regain lost abilities and skills.

Stroke rehabilitation works best when the patient, family, and rehabilitation staff work together as a team. Family members must learn about impairments and disabilities caused by the stroke and how to help the patient achieve optimal function again.

Depending on the severity of the stroke, rehabilitation options include:

• Hospital programs - These programs can be provided by special rehabilitation hospitals or units within an acute care hospital. Complete rehabilitation services are available. The patient stays in the hospital during rehabilitation and a team of professionals provides therapy. These programs are usually more intense than other programs and require more effort from the patient.
• Nursing home programs - The person stays at the facility during rehabilitation. These programs are very different from each other, so it is important to get specific information about each one. They vary from providing a complete range to only limited services.
• Outpatient programs - Outpatient programs allow a patient who lives at home to get a full range of services by visiting an outpatient department, outpatient rehabilitation facility, or day hospital program.
• Home-based programs - The patient can live at home and receive rehabilitation services from visiting professionals. An important advantage of home programs is that the person learns skills in the place where they will use them.

Some of the different types of therapies provided to stroke patients during the rehabilitation process include:

• Physiotherapy
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Exercise Physiology

Goal of stroke rehabilitation

Studies have shown that rehabilitation is responsible for most of the recovery experienced by patients after a stroke, and that without it, little or no improvement can be accomplished.

The goal of rehabilitation is to enable an individual who has experienced a stroke to reach the highest possible level of independence and be as productive as possible. Because stroke survivors often have complex rehabilitation needs, progress and recovery are unique for each person. Although a majority of functional abilities may be restored soon after a stroke, recovery is an ongoing process.

Duration of stroke rehabilitation

The duration of rehabilitation needs depends on the type of stroke. On the average, immediately after leaving the hospital, people stay inside rehabilitation facilities for a total of 16 days. This brief period of in-house therapy is followed by further rehabilitation in an outpatient facility for the following several weeks.

Although most of the improvement will take place within this time, brain continues to learn and re-learn new and old tasks for as long as a stroke survivor lives. So, it is important to continue with rehabilitation at home after a stroke survivor has completed the visits to the rehabilitation center.

A successful outcome will require dedication, perseverance, and a great attitude. In fact, some studies suggest that successful and meaningful recovery is more likely to be accomplished if the survivor is dedicated and keeps a high level of motivation during the rehabilitation process.