Occupational therapy promotes health for stroke survivors living in care homes

Nearly 40% of care home admissions occur because of stroke; it remains the primary cause of disability in this setting. In addition to the motor, cognitive and communication deficits resulting from stroke, residents suffer from the secondary complications of falls, pain, pressure ulcers, incontinence and depression. Not surprisingly, residents are often very elderly and have significant co-morbidity. Day to day activity levels are very low, self-care dependency levels are very high and many spend their days sitting ‘busy doing nothing’ (Sackley et al, 2006)