[Home-based telerehabilitation after stroke]

Abstract

The use of modern information and telecommunication technologies enables telerehabilitation of neurological deficits in the domestic environment. The current state of studies on rehabilitative teletherapy for improvement of motor function and mobility deficits due to stroke is reviewed. Two neurolinguistic proof of concept studies investigating the efficacy of online interactive telespeech therapy are reported, which compared virtual screen to screen interactive telerehabilitation of aphasia after stroke and dysarthrophonia in Parkinson's disease to conventional face to face rehabilitation. The results of the studies indicate that the neurological rehabilitation of motor and communicative deficits in the domestic environment of patients by means of teletherapy is just as efficient as conventional rehabilitation. Under home-based telerehabilitation patient transfer becomes unnecessary. Rehabilitative Teletherapy is a posthospital component of a cross-sector supply chain for patients with handicaps or impairments due to stroke and other neurological diseases.

Keywords: Aphasia; Parkinson’s disease; Speech therapy; Stroke; Telemedicine.