Rehabilitation

 

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in Canada. Rehabilitation is known to reduce disability and dependence. Stroke Rehabilitation is a progressive, dynamic, goal-oriented process aimed at enabling a person with impairment to reach his or her optimal physical, cognitive, emotional, communicative and/or social functional level.

While access to stroke rehabilitation is a best practice, only 23% of all acute stroke survivors in Ontario were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation programs (SEAC Technical Report 2010).

 

3 Challenges in our Region:

  1. Equitable access to inpatient rehabilitation for persons with stroke
  2. Absence of a framework and standards for Rehabilitation services; continued erosion with budget cuts; many without consideration given to implementing best practices.
  3. Standardization of assessment tools and outcome measures across the continuum.

   Recommendations/Possible solutions:

  1. A structured approach for determining stroke rehabilitation needs is required to ensure equitable access to inpatient rehabilitation. Implementation of the Stroke Rehabilitation Candidacy Screening Tool in acute care facilities across the region is recommended.
  2. The Ontario Stroke Network has created a Provincial Reference Group who will serve as a resource regarding stroke best practices to the work of the MOH/LHIN Expert Panel on Rehabilitation and Complex Continuing Care.
  3. Adoption of a core set of outcome measures that will serve to standardize tools, enable transfer of information across settings, and facilitate measurement of client and system outcomes.

 

 

 

 

 

The Southwestern Ontario Stroke Network Rehabilitation Coordinator is eager to work with its regional stakeholders to address these gaps. Please contact me so that we can discuss how we can work together.
Deborah Willems, Rehabilitation Coordinator, Southwestern Ontario Stroke Network, Parkwood Hospital, H404-801 Commissioners Road East, London, N6C 5J1 at deb.willems@lhsc.on.ca or 519-685-4292 extension 42681

Time is Function: Making It Real (April 26, 2012 Rehab Forum)

Over 80 participants, representing all eight inpatient rehabilitation programs from across Southwestern Ontario, came together for a knowledge exchange event focused on sharing strategies for increasing therapy time and extending hours of activation.

Agenda

CSS Stroke Best Practice Recommendation 5.3

Attendee List

Dr. Teasell’s presentation Intensity of Stroke Rehabilitation

Matthew Meyer’s presentation Impact of Best Practices

Intensity and Functional Gains

Quick Tour presentation of KE Fair

 

 

Best Practices in Rehabilitation:

 

Stroke Rehabilitation Candidacy Screening Tool:

  1. Stroke Rehabilitation Candidacy Screening Tool
  2. Instruction Package
  3. Inter-rater Reliability of the Stroke Rehabilitation Candidacy Screening Tool
  4. Determining the Need for Rehabilitation Services Post Stroke Phase Two

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Outcome Measures:

 

Resources:

 

Professional:

 

Public:

 

Reports:

 

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Contact:

Stroke Rehabilitation Advisory Group

For more information about Stroke Rehabilitation in the Southwest Region, please contact:

Deborah Willems, Rehabilitation Coordinator, Southwestern Ontario Stroke Strategy, Parkwood Hospital, C401-801 Commissioners Road East, London, N6C 5J1 at deb.willems@lhsc.on.ca

Eileen Britt, Co-chair
Coordinator Rehabilitation Stroke Program
Parkwood Hospital, St Josephs Health Care London
801 Commissioners Road East
London, Ontario
(519) 685-4292 x42537

Bernice Markham, Co-chair
Program Manager, Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
Windsor Regional Hospital, Western Campus
1453 Prince Road
Windsor, Ontario
(519) 257-5111 x75263