Healthcare Settings for Rehabilitation After Stroke

Excerpt

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. In the last couple of decades, improved hyperacute interventions have resulted in improved survival and reduction in severity of subsequent disability in developed countries. Even in developing countries, survival has improved due to better availability of life-sustaining interventions. However, improved survival is resulting in higher number of patients living with significant disability. Therefore, both developed and developing countries are required to provide comprehensive services for stroke, starting from hyperacute care to community and home-based rehabilitation services. There is sufficient evidence to propose establishment of such a continuum. Throughout the continuum, rehabilitation forms an integral component of stroke management plan and must be made available as part of overall stroke care. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive overview of the stroke care continuum with recommendations for delivery of rehabilitation services to stroke survivors throughout the continuum in the context of both developed and developing countries.