Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability, which affects not only the person recovering from stroke but also their family and loved ones.
As a specialised and multidisciplinary rehabilitation service, STARS offers patient and carer stroke education sessions. STARS physiotherapist Jemima Readford delivers sessions to STARS patients and their families to help them prepare for rehabilitation and transition to life outside the hospital.
“The goal of our patient-centred education program is to increase patient and carer knowledge to increase engagement in rehabilitation, develop adult strategies in health self-management and to optimise therapy down time,” Jemima said.
“The program is delivered across five sessions, which are based on the stroke journey pack developed by the Stroke Foundation, as well as supplementary resources that look at secondary risk prevention and recovery, mood, carer education and support, and goal setting.”
A stroke causes damage to the brain, which can impact how people think, behave, use words, swallow, see, feel, touch, and move. Because every stroke is different, every person affected by stroke has different problems and different needs.
“It’s important for stroke survivors and their families and carers to identify and discuss the patient’s post-discharge needs, including any physical, emotional, social, recreational, financial and community support that may be needed,” Jemima said.
“At STARS, we dedicate time to talk to patients and families to arm them with the knowledge and skills they need to transition into the community.
“Family and carers are integral to a patient’s recovery. Carers are important for not only physical and cognitive recovery, but also emotional support required for patients to live a fuller life.”
The stroke education sessions are delivered with the support of a multidisciplinary team including occupational therapists, psychologists, speech pathologists, allied health assistants, nurses and doctors to ensure patients receive individualised and integrative care to equip them for recovery.