Inpatient rehabilitation facilities are recommended for stroke rehabilitation by The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. These are the first guidelines the organization has issued regarding rehabilitation following a stroke.
According to Carolee J. Winstein, Ph.D., P.T., and lead author of the scientific statement, many people survive strokes with some level of disability. There is increasing evidence that rehabilitation can have a positive impact on the survivors’ quality of life.
Whenever possible, The American Stroke Association strongly recommends that stroke patients be treated at an inpatient rehabilitation facility rather than a skilled nursing facility. An inpatient facility, which may be a free-standing facility or a separate unit of a hospital, typically provides:
· At least 3 hours of rehabilitation a day from physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists
· Nurses who are continuously available.
· Daily physician visits.
The study advocates for a stroke patient to be sent to an inpatient rehabilitation facility instead of a skilled nursing facility whenever possible.
There is considerable evidence that patients benefit from the team approach in a facility that understands the importance of rehabilitation during the early period after a stroke. For a person to fulfill his or her full potential after a stroke, there needs to be a coordinated effort and ongoing communication between a team of professional as well as the patient, family and caregivers.
Read the full study here.
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