MedifocusHealth

There are several health care professionals that are involved in stroke recovery and rehabilitation including:

• Physician - to manage the medical care of the patient; may include a family internist, geriatrician, neurologist, or physiatrist (a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation)
• Rehabilitation nurse - to coordinate care of the patient; provide direct care for the patient; educate the patient and family regarding relevant issues; be a liaison to the doctor
• Physical therapist - to evaluate and treat physical disabilities through training and exercise (e.g., improving walking, teaching the patient how to get in and out of a chair, how to stand and move without losing their balance, how to walk up or down stairs, etc.). The physical therapist will also adapt aspects of therapy to suit the needs of the patient when they go home.
• Occupational therapist - to teach patients to carry out activities of daily living that they could do before the stroke or to adapt to new ways of doing those activities if the disability makes that no longer possible - for example teaching the patient to eat, dress, or bathe using compensatory techniques so they can be as independent as possible.
• Speech and language therapist - to help the patient with communication skills involving both understanding others as well as expressing themselves. The speech therapist will also work with the family to adapt to the communication skills of the patient. In addition, the speech therapist evaluates and treats the patient with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties).
• Social worker - to help the patient and/or their family make decisions regarding rehabilitation facilities; arranging for support services to plan for long-term financial issues, insurance policies, future expenditures or answer questions about health insurance; provide counseling for the patient and family members who need support in coping with the new reality; and helping the patient and families plan for the return home.
• Psychologist - to help the patient and family with mental or emotional problems they may be experiencing, and also to either work with or recommend professionals to work with the patient who may have memory or cognitive difficulties.
• Other professionals who can address complications that may arise in the patient's treatment, such as a urologist if the patient is experiencing problems with incontinence, a psychiatrist for depression, orthotist if the patient needs special braces for legs or arms, a nutritionist if the patient is experiencing difficulties eating, or vocational counselors if the patient is able to anticipate returning to work.

The rehabilitation team should be available for the patient and their families to address any issues that arise in the course of the patient's recovery from stroke.