Stroke Rehabilitation
Stroke Statistics
According to the American Heart Associations’ publication, someone in the US will have a stroke every 40 seconds. There are over 795,000 new stroke cases each year, only in the United States (AHA, 2020).
Passion and Specialized Focus
Michael spent the majority of his personal and professional career passionate about stroke rehabilitation. His late father experienced strokes during his childhood, adolescent years and adulthood. He took his first hand experience as a “caregiver” / family member and transitioned to an expert in the the stroke rehabilitation field. Michael has worked in stroke certified rehabilitation centers in the ICU, hospital rooms, in-patient rehabilitation unit and a skilled nursing facility.
Occupational Therapy Focus
Occupational Therapists will focus on a holistic approach to regain function, improve strength, improve vision (if affected), improve balance, improve endurance/activity tolerance, return to prior abilities and much more:
Adapting the Environment
Adaptive Equipment
Bathing and Showering
Caregiver Education
Communication Management
Dressing
Driving and Community Mobility
Durable Medical Equipment Recommendations and Modifications
Eating and Swallowing - Aspiration prevention
Education
Ergonomics
Falls Prevention
Feeding
Financial Management
Functional Mobility/Active Movement
Grasp/Release of Hands and Fingers
Hand Eye Coordination
Health Management and Maintenance
Home Establishment and Maintenance
Leisure
Meal Preparation and Clean Up
Neuromuscular Reeducation
Pain Management
Paralysis
Paresis
Personal Device Care
Personal Hygiene and Grooming
Prevention
Redirecting Behaviors and/or Outbursts
Safety Procedures and Emergency Responses
Sensation
Shopping
Social Participation
Subluxation Prevention or Rehabilitation
Toileting and Toilet Hygiene
Upper extremity issues/injuries
Vision
Wheelchair Management
Work
Types of Stroke
There are three main types of stroke: ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, and hemorrhagic stroke. Over 87% of all strokes are ischemic (AHA 2020).
Reference: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000757