Every eighth person who survives a stroke lives no more than a year after being discharged from the hospital. A study published in the journal Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation revealed that altering the home environment can significantly reduce the risk of death.
Study Overview:
- Participants: The study involved 90 individuals who had experienced a stroke.
- Interventions: Occupational therapists worked with the participants, adapting their homes to meet their needs. This included installing handrails on stairs, raising toilet seats, and adding lighting in dark corridors. The patients were also taught how to perform various daily activities safely and effectively.
- Control Group: An additional 90 stroke survivors did not receive any interaction with occupational therapists.
- Results: During the study, 10 deaths were recorded, all in the group that did not receive assistance from occupational therapists. Those whose homes were adapted were less likely to need transfer to a nursing home or rehabilitation center.
Key Findings:
- Enhanced Survival: The adapted home environment contributed to better survival rates among stroke patients.
- Reduced Need for Institutional Care: Adapted homes reduced the necessity for nursing home or rehabilitation center transfers.
- Depression Mitigation: Post-stroke depression often arises from the inability to return to a full social life and loss of independence in daily activities, such as using the toilet or climbing stairs.
Recommendations:
Researchers suggest that home adaptation programs should be included in medical insurance coverage. This could reduce the need for medications and frequent doctor visits, ultimately improving the quality of life and survival rates for stroke survivors.
Photo: freepik.com