Deans' stroke musings: The bereavement model, stroke and rehabilitation: a critical analysis of the use of a psychological model in professional practice

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.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

The bereavement model, stroke and rehabilitation: a critical analysis of the use of a psychological model in professional practice

The layperson can probably get the same information from the book; Deep Survival : Who Lives, Who Dies and Why by Laurence Gonzales.
You will need to become a 'bad patient'.

The bereavement model, stroke and rehabilitation: a critical analysis of the use of a psychological model in professional practice

Alaszewski A¹, Alaszewski H, Potter J.

Author information

Abstract

PURPOSE:

This pilot study aimed to explore with stroke survivors, carers and professionals, the impact of stroke and the process of recovery and rehabilitation. One theme that emerged in interviews with professionals was their use of the bereavement model in relation to recovery from stroke. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which professionals use the bereavement model to explain and manage the rehabilitation of stroke survivors.

METHOD:

A person-centred study using qualitative research methods, semi structured interviews and self report diaries to explore with stroke survivors and carers the impact of stroke on their lives. Twenty-five interviews with stroke survivors, 23 individual or with carers and seven in two focus groups. Evidence from four self- report diaries provided more detailed examples of the everyday experiences of the survivors. A set of parallel interviews involving 17 professionals involved in the care and support of such individuals, nine individual and one group interview involving a community rehabilitation team.

RESULTS:

The bereavement model can be identified in the literature aimed at professionals, and was evident in some professional accounts of stroke but was absent from survivors' and carers' accounts of stroke. In over half the interviews, professionals made reference to the bereavement model to explain a process of loss and readjustment. While survivors in their accounts of life after a stroke did acknowledge the ways in which stroke disrupted every-day life and resulted in losses and disabilities, their perception of such losses and disruption was shaped by the context of their every-day life. Most survivors sought to actively manage their recovery by setting goals. They wanted professional support in achieving their goals. The bereavement model appeared to be used by professionals in situations where there was a conflict over goals and professionals felt that survivors had become 'stuck' and their goals unrealistic.

CONCLUSIONS:

Following stroke, people try to make sense of what has happened and normalize their lives by setting themselves goals to progress towards recovery. It is important that professionals communicate effectively so that their interventions are grounded in and support the survivors' goals and strategies.