Severe Stroke Rehabilitation Case Study: Getting Home Faster
The Patient: An 83-year-old gentleman who loved the outdoors, bird-watching, and skiing in the Alps.
The Challenge: A dense stroke left him hospitalised, waiting for a difficult-to-source “double-up” care package (two carers, four times daily) in a rural area.
Living in a rural area made sourcing this level of care difficult, and he and his family were desperate to get him out of hospital. While waiting, they arranged for him to move temporarily into a care home, giving him a change of scenery, new food, and more interaction while plans were being made for his return home.
Getting Started: The Rehab Journey
We began seeing him in the care home twice a week. Initially, he needed two staff members to assist with transfers using a Sara Stedy.
With focused rehab from our Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist, he progressed to managing transfers with the Sara Stedy and just one staff member. This was the breakthrough needed to move forward.
Supporting the Care Team
Since moving home, we’ve continued to support him up to three times a week. The journey hasn’t been linear; challenges included infections and low iron levels causing fatigue, which exacerbated stroke symptoms.
We worked closely with district nurses, carers, and his GP to address these medical issues swiftly, minimising deterioration. However, periods of illness were challenging for the care team to manage single-handedly.
The “Enabling Approach”
To support the care team, we delivered a full-day training session for the care agency. We demonstrated safe techniques to reduce strain on carers and introduced a therapeutic style of care.
This approach focuses on empowering patients—encouraging independence in daily tasks, like making a cup of tea or cutting a sandwich. These small wins support the rehab journey in a big way.
(Note: We now offer a free one-hour session on this approach to interested care homes and agencies.)
Progress and Ongoing Work
Today, he is making steady progress. With physiotherapy and the support of his wife, he has begun walking short distances using a quad stick. From spending over a year being house-bound, he now regularly goes on trips in the car with his wife to garden centres, friends’ houses, or coffee shops.
His mood has improved hugely, and he has things to look forward to again. The journey isn’t complete, but he has regained far more independence than seemed possible at the start.