Rehab Select Blog

Stroke occurs when a vessel that supplies blood to the brain ruptures or becomes blocked, starving brain cells of oxygen and resulting in brain damage. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., as well as a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in adults, affecting about 795,000 Americans and killing 137,000 people – one every four minutes – every year. Given those stark statistics and the fact that stroke is preventable, knowing your personal risk factors for stroke is essential.

Strokes affect more than 795,000 people in the U.S., and 610,000 of these are first or new strokes. They can cause significant impairment to motor skills, language, cognition, and physical function. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “The long-term effects of stroke — which vary from person to person, depending on the stroke’s severity and the area of the brain affected — may include: 

• cognitive symptoms like memory problems and trouble speaking; 
• physical symptoms such as weakness, paralysis and difficulty swallowing; 
• emotional symptoms like depression and impulsivity, and 
• heavy fatigue and trouble sleeping. 

If you or a loved one have suffered a stroke, chances are you have already been told that rehabilitation therapy is an integral part of any effective stroke recovery plan. You have likely also been asked to choose among a list of options for receiving that therapy. These will typically include both inpatient and outpatient rehab programs. Ultimately, the decision as to whether you should choose an inpatient or outpatient short term rehab program is one that should be made in close consultation with your medical care team.

When your life is interrupted by illness or an accident and you need expert rehabilitation services, occupational therapy (OT) can help you regain the life skills necessary to get back to your day-to-day routine and recover your independence. Just as physical therapy helps you regain your range of motion and mobility and cognitive therapy fires up your brain, occupational therapy helps you perform those daily tasks that are seemingly out of reach.