The effect of a structured programme to increase patient activity during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a Phase I cohort study

Ask your doctor how much structured stroke rehab activity occurs on a daily basis. If  not close to 12-14 hours ask why the hell not.
There is hours upon hours of action observation videos to watch.
Meditation to do.
Tai chi or yoga to do.
Passive movement.
Lucid dreaming to continue stroke rehab during sleep.
Has your doctor thought about any of this stuff?  Or was it just signing ET(Evaluate and Treat) prescriptions to the therapists thus washing their hands of any failures in recovery?
http://cre.sagepub.com/content/30/2/191

1. SF Tyson1⇑
2. L Burton1,2
3. A McGovern2

1. ¹School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
2. ²Greater Manchester Strategic Clinical Network, Stockport, UK

1. SF Tyson, Stroke Research Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, Jean McFarlane Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. Email: Sarah.Tyson@manchester.ac.uk

Abstract

Objective: To develop an intervention and undertake a proof-of-concept evaluation of its feasibility, acceptability, and impact on recorded patient activity levels during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Design: A longitudinal cohort design.

Setting: Three inpatient stroke rehabilitation services.

Subjects: Stroke survivors receiving inpatient rehabilitation.

Intervention: A programme designed to increase patient activity, including individualised patient timetables, independent practice, therapeutic group work, and structured social activities was developed and implemented without additional resource.

Main measures: Patients’ recorded activity levels were compared for two weeks before and after implementation of the programme. Data regarding the estimated time spent in different types of activity were extracted from patient treatment records, patients’ and therapists’ diaries, or timetables (if used) to measure patient activity levels

Results: At baseline, recorded activity levels were low; patients undertook a mean of 61 minutes (SD = 39) of activity per day. After implementation of the programme, recorded activity levels significantly increased to a mean of 123 minutes (SD = 88) per day (p = 0.0001). The time spent in all types of recorded activity increased (p = 0.0001–0.002), except psychology where the increase did not reach significance (p = 0.670).

Conclusions: A structured programme can significantly increase recorded patient activity levels during inpatient stroke rehabilitation without additional resource.