Critical Reviews™ in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

ISSN for PRINT: 0896-2960

For Online Access

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2003, Volume15

Issue 3&4

175 pages

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevPhysRehabilMed.v15.i34

Issue price - $326.00

Michael P. Barnes, MD, FRCP
Centre for Rehabilitation and Engineering Studies, Hunters Moor Regional Neurorehabilitation Centre, Academic Unit of Neurological Rehabilitation, University of Newcastle, Hunters Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NR, United Kingdom

There is now firm evidence of the efficacy of hospital stroke units. However, people who survive strokes are eventually discharged home, and most need ongoing rehabilitation. This review highlights the need for community rehabilitation services. Evidence of the efficacy of different models of community-based rehabilitation is reviewed. There is still an inadequate number of good-quality studies on this subject. However, tentative conclusions can be drawn from the existing literature. There is now reasonably good evidence of the efficacy of early-discharge teams. Such teams provide a service that is at least as good as continuing rehabilitation in hospitals, and most patients prefer rehabilitation services based within their own homes. There is also emerging evidence that a rehabilitation team working in a community can also produce sustained benefits and reduce the risks for unnecessary longer term complications. There are many gaps in our knowledge and much more basic research work to be done on this subject. However, there is a clear need and a clear demand for more rehabilitation services to be provided in a coherent and coordinated fashion in community settings.

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevPhysRehabilMed.v15.i34.30 Download article, 12 pages

Article price - $35.00

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