Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

FOUNDATION SPOTLIGHT: The Stroke Recovery Center - Palms Springs, CA

Why don't all hospitals, neurologists and insurance know that recovery can continue well past 90 days?  If our stroke associations wanted to be useful to survivors they could run these types of centers all over the country.  (This will never happen under the current leadership.) Sounds like what ARNI is doing in the UK.

http://www.pe.com/articles/center-698587-greer-stroke.html
Based in Palms Springs, The Stroke Recovery Center is the only organization of its kind, offering free long-term rehabilitation for individuals dealing with functional deficits caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Providing services for 36 years, The Stroke Recovery Center offers rehabilitation to those who can no longer afford the expense, offering a full suite of services to survivors. According to Beverly Greer, chief executive, strokes are the fourth largest killer in the United States and the number one cause of adult disability. Survivors undergo treatment and acute rehab in the hospital, but insurance companies only cover 30 to 90 days of rehabilitation. After this, survivors are on their own.
Greer notes that insurance companies feel that rehabilitation beyond this point is rarely successful, but that has not been the experience of The Stroke Recovery Center. Stepping in when insurance coverage has expired, The Center offers comprehensive care, dealing with the patient as a whole and assisting with physical, mental, socialization needs and rehabilitation. “We also help them with working through their depression and with rebuilding their confidence,” says Greer. “We work to give them the tools they need to handle daily activities again.”
Survivors wishing to begin a rehabilitation program at The Center have their doctor sign off that they are physically able to exercise. They then work with staff to create a program that will best help with their recovery. “We have a very large group of volunteers, a small but dedicated staff, and over the years we have been able to accommodate everyone who needs us,” says Greer. While most of the patients come from the surrounding Coachella Valley, some come from as far as Hemet and even Temecula.
The Stroke Recovery Center hopes that as many survivors as possible will be able to get a level of ability where they no longer need their services. Greer tells the story of a woman who was forced to sell her house and car in order to continue receiving rehabilitation, but that eventually she and her husband ran out of resources. “She came to us and was able to continue her therapy,” says Greer. “Now she doesn’t need us anymore and just stops in to say hello. It’s very inspirational to others.”
Providing all their services for free means challenges for funding, however. “We are very lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers,” says Greer. “The challenges don’t go away though. That’s probably why there aren’t many other stroke recovery centers.” The Center’s funding depends on their annual Gala in November, “Evening of Hope,” as well as grants, donations, and additional fundraisers. Recently, The Stroke Recovery Center received a Community Impact Grant through The Community Foundation, but they are always seeking more funding for their programs.
Those who wish to help can also frequent The Stroke Recovery Center volunteer-run thrift shop which also contributes to their funding. Jackie Lee’s Thrift Shop is a full-service shop, offering gently-used housewares, clothing, bedding, and décor. All of the proceeds go into their programs. Greer encourages people to visit and also to consider volunteering. “People think this might be an uncomfortable and depressing place,” says Greer. “It’s actually an upbeat positive environment. There is a lot of laughing, caring, and we see and celebrate little miracles constantly.”
In the future, The Stroke Recovery Center hopes to expand their services to include others who are challenged with other neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. It is also in the process of building a new therapy and exercise facility, which is 50 percent funded. Greer is excited about the new 3,000 square foot facility which will be able to accommodate many more patients. She hopes that more of the community will not only discover the work the center achieves, but help support their work.
“We want people to know that we exist,” says Greer. “Our services are free. It doesn’t matter if you need our help for a short period of time or a long period of time. Don’t lose hope. Just join us.”
For more information about The Stroke Recovery Center, Jackie Lee’s Thrift Shop and the upcoming Evening of Hope Gala, visit strokerecoverycenter.org or call 760-325-8026.

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