Evaluation of Progress of Home Rehabilitation in Patients with Diagnosis of Stroke

Dorota Szczygielska
Teresa Pop
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Andrzej Maciejczak
Podkarpacki Oddział Wojewódzkiego NFZ
Instytut Fizjoterapii Wydziału Medycznego Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego, Rzeszów, Polska
Institute of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszow, Poland

Abstract

In Poland approximately sixty thousand people a year suffer an acute stroke. Some authors report that number to be as high as eighty thousand. Providing continuity in rehabilitation plays an important role in secondary stroke prophylaxis. Continuing rehabilitation at home makes it possible to build upon goals achieved during inpatient rehabilitation as well as to assure continuing improvement in patients’ health. The goal of this article is to evaluate progress of patients with diagnosis of acute stroke participating in home rehabilitation programs. Subjects and Method: The study group consisted of twenty one patients with acute stroke referred for home rehabilitation. In each case, an individual rehabilitation plan was designed. All patients were evaluated at the beginning of therapy and after eight weeks of home rehabilitation. Rankin scale and Brunnstrom test were used as evaluation tools. Results: Majority of patients in our study group achieved improvement in functional mobility (ambulating independently or with a use of orthopedic equipment). Three out of twenty one patients did not regain functional mobility. Discussion: Home rehabilitation during the period of one year from the onset of illness is an excellent ‘modality to assure continuity of care, and to enable patients to achieve independence and functional improvement.

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