Community & LTC

 

Introduction:

For some time after a stroke, the lives of the stroke survivor and the caregiver are dominated by the stroke and its aftermath. Eventually, the impact of the stroke gets smaller and life beyond the stroke expands. The anticipated end result of rehabilitation, and the goal for stroke survivors, is community re-engagement.

Stats:

  • 20 000 people have a stroke each year in Ontario
  • Approximately 115 000 Ontarians are living with the affects of stroke
  • 65% of people with stroke will be left with some level of disability
  • Stroke is the leading cause of long term adult neurological disability
  • Stroke is the 4th leading cause of death in Canada
  • 22% (1 in 5) residents in long term care (LTC) homes have had a stroke

Community re-engagement focuses on processes and supports that maximize the likelihood of stroke survivors feeling empowered and achieving their personal goals.

The components of community re-engagement include:

  • Health Management – Stroke survivors are able to manage their health issues to achieve and maintain the highest possible health status. Stroke survivors or caregivers have appropriate access to healthcare resources and a family physician. Ensure that they know and can access primary health care, secondary prevention clinics, community supports (i.e. Community Care Access Centres (CCAC), day programs, outpatient clinics), or hospital services. Stroke survivors also must understand the risk or post-stroke depression.
  • Life roles – Stroke survivors are satisfied with life roles and participate in these life roles optimally
  • Social network – Stroke survivors are assisted to self-manage goals, outcomes, decisions through identifying a range of contacts, agencies and individuals to form a coordinated resource that recognizes and supports the stroke survivor for abilities, not limitations
  • Environment – Stroke survivors achieve maximum independence with abilities by modifying the home or community environment to support life roles or routines.
  • Communications – Stroke survivors are able to communicate at an optimal level to express needs, goals, and desires and can participate in desired social interactions.
  • Mobility – Stroke survivors can move and access desired leisure and self-care activities, places and roles.
  • Caregiver Support – Caregiver copes with care needs of the stroke survivor, while maintaining physical health and emotional and psychological social well being. This may be accomplished by ensuring the caregiver can access community-based resources, respite care and educational opportunities.

 

Best Practice in Community Re-engagement

 

Resources

 

Reports

 

 

Websites

For more information about community re-engagement initiatives in Southwestern Ontario, please contact:

Paula Gilmore (paula.gilmore@lhsc.on.ca)
Community and Long Term Care Coordinator
Southwestern Ontario Stroke Strategy