19 Feb Stroke. You’ve had one. Now what?

Seven Things You Should Know About Stroke Recovery

In most cases, you will find yourself in a hospital after a stroke, but in some cases, you may be able to go to a hospital-based therapy unit and be discharged immediately after your team of doctors believe you are stable enough to leave. In either case, stroke recovery is not complete after leaving the medical facility immediately after a stroke. Your motor control is returning, and you need to practice, practice, practice. We all know that practice makes progress!

Home Health or Outpatient Therapy is often recommended for ongoing stroke recovery, but there is no one size fits all approach. To determine the best stroke recovery and provider for you or your loved one, consider these seven questions:

• What type of stroke recovery therapy/rehabilitation is right for me?

During stroke recovery, there are multiple types of therapies available and recommended to restore functional movement and thinking; including physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Your medical team should help you determine which therapy is most needed for your unique stroke recovery. However, if you are uneasy about your doctor’s recommendation or feel as though you need more information to make an informed decision, choose a therapy clinic that specializes in education and ongoing consultation.

• What certifications are required to provide stroke recovery care?

When choosing a therapy clinic, ask if they are stroke certified. A Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist (CSRS) undergoes intensive training and must have a certification provided by the American Stroke Association. To verify a therapist’s or clinic’s CSRS status, visit Stroke.org/Certified-Stroke-Therapy-Rehabilitation-Specialist.
Here, at Trio Rehab, our Physical Therapist, Suzanne McCrum, and Occupational Therapist and owner, Jennica Colvin, will be sitting for the CSRS examination for certification in February of 2019.

• What can I expect in terms of stroke recovery progress?

Therapists will look for an array of improved performance, beginning with activities as basic as sitting posture to more progressive tasks such as standing and walking. Progress is defined by each person’s unique goals, as well as measurements used in the clinical setting. One example of a clinical measurement is Quick DASH, which is a series of questions to help assess and measure symptoms of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders.

• Where does stroke recovery rehabilitation occur?

During the first stages of rehabilitation, treatment typically occur in quiet settings where the therapist can work with a patient one-on-one. As therapy progresses and patients can move around their environment more independently, treatment sessions may include going on community outings to increase strength and confidence to prepare for moving around restaurants, managing different walking terrains (grass, cement, stairs), and even buying items for meals (an executive functioning task).

• How intense will stroke recovery therapy be?

The intensity of therapy after stroke, on average, is three times a week. Each session of physical, occupational, or speech therapy lasts about an hour.

• What type of stroke recovery outcomes can I expect?

Outcomes are often very good. Again, this question can be tricky! The goal of any therapist is to restore function and improve a person’s independence with daily activities.

• Is six months realistic for full stroke recovery after (first or second) stroke?

Stroke recovery time and improvement goes well beyond the six-month mark. Measurable gains are often made within 10 visits after initiating therapy. Gains can include improved mobility, better use of arms, or even being able to express wants and needs with ease. It’s important to remember that maximal recovery depends on full patient participation, including the performance of HEP’s.