Stroke Patients need more of social and emotional comfort rather than physical rehabilitation: Study

Toronto, March 6: A person who has undergone stroke needs to be taken proper care. According to a recent study from the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a person with heart stroke should be given social and emotional support rather than sending them to a rehab.

 

“Rather than focusing only on physical rehabilitation, a realistic approach to managing care should consider the emotional needs of patients and their caregivers,” said researcher Scott Murray. The study suggested that when caring for stroke patients, health care providers should focus on the social and emotional issues facing patients, rather than only physical rehabilitation.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death, accounting for 11% of deaths worldwide. Survival is especially poor for people who have had a severe total anterior circulation stroke with loss of motor control, language and other conditions. The study of 219 patients in central Scotland with severe stroke total anterior circulation stroke looked at the experiences, concerns and priorities of patients, families and healthcare professionals in the 12 months after stroke. In the first 6 months, 57% (125 people) died, with the one-year fatality of 60 percent (132 deaths). About two-thirds (67 percent) of deaths occurred within the first month after stroke.

As well, the term ‘palliative care’ was interpreted negatively by many health care providers, families and informal caregivers, as it is associated with care for people, for example, patients with advanced cancer, who are dying. Murray said, “Many patients and informal caregivers would have welcomed more support in making decisions and in planning for the future from day one.”

“The focus was on active rehabilitation, recovery, motivation and hope, with much less discussion and preparation for limited recovery”, they continued. The authors suggested that the principles of palliative care rather than the term itself should be applied to the stroke patients, which means supporting people to live well with deteriorating health and making them comfortable until their eventual death.