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The cause: Putting the brakes on the impact of stroke

   
   
The cause: putting the brakes on the impact of stroke

Putting the brakes on the
impact of stroke

Nottingham Life Cycle 3 is focusing on raising funds for Stroke Rehabilitation Research to support stroke survivors to overcome the short- and long-term problems associated with recovery.
 
 

Why support stroke rehabilitation research?

Stroke is the commonest cause of death after cancer and heart disease. Around 130,000 people suffer a stroke every year. A third will die; a third will make a full recovery; a third will suffer serious disability. No age group is immune – an average of six children under 16 suffers a stroke each week.

Experts from The University of Nottingham are leading the way in stroke rehabilitation research. The work addresses the often neglected needs of stroke survivors following hospital care, and the need for stroke specialist provision of rehabilitation at home.

Although most people survive, stroke is the single largest cause of disability in a community setting. Survivors frequently struggle with:

  • mobility
  • speech
  • depression
  • cognitive problems
  • activities of daily living like feeding and dressing.
 

Stroke rehabilitation and aftercare

An essential component of stroke aftercare is rehabilitation

An essential component of stroke aftercare is rehabilitation. This strives to support stroke survivors to overcome the problems associated with recovery. The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to:

  • lessen the impact of disability on everyday life
  • enable individuals to reach their fullest potential

Clinical trials encourage stroke survivors to get out and about

Developing stroke rehabilitation strategies is complex. Rather than testing the effect of a drug, clinical trials are required to:

  • evaluate the effectiveness of a particular intervention - such as how to help stroke survivors learn how to dress themselves
  • encourage stroke survivors to leave the house and get out and about

The team also evaluates how stroke teams and services operate in practice, with a view to maximizing their effectiveness.

 

 

Funding towards stroke rehabilitation research would help the team continue with current studies and pave the way for new initiatives.

Current studies include:

Problems with dressing

We are developing innovative approaches for Occupational Therapists to use to support stroke survivors who have difficulty dressing.

Research has developed new ways to measure and evaluate problems associated with dressing, caused by cognitive, visual and movement impairments.

We need to run more clinical trials in the UK and in other countries.

Outdoor mobility

42% of stroke survivors report that they are housebound or would like to get out of their house more.

We are currently running a UK-wide study to test the effectiveness of an outdoor mobility programme for stroke survivors.

Stroke survivors in care homes

There is a real need to improve access to rehabilitative support for stroke survivors who live in care homes, and in particular ensure they have stroke specialist care.

We are applying interventions for stroke survivors in care homes, and developing new ways to assess their needs and the impact of support.

 

Images courtesy of The Stroke Association and UK Stroke Forum. 

Life Cycle 3

Campaign and Alumni Relations Office
Ground Floor, Pope Building
The University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 3296
email: events@nottingham.ac.uk