F-2-11-04
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF ELDERLY STROKE PATIENTS
Jose Alvin P. Mojica MD, Ma. Georgina D. Mojica MHPEd
Filipino stroke patients aged 60 years old and above, undergoing out-patient rehabilitation in our stroke clinic participated in this descriptive study through the interview method to determine living arrangements, type of housing, level of ADL dependence, sources of financial and emotional support.
Results show that all (100 %) of our patients are living with their immediate families i.e. spouse and/or children. No patient is living in a nursing home or long-term care facility. The patients stay in the first floor of their houses, sleeping in beds or on the floor with a bedside commode in the room. Majority are dependent on their immediate relatives for financial and emotional support. Community support group for the stroke patient is non-existent.
These findings show that among Filipino patients in the present study, strong family ties play a very important role in supporting the psychesocial needs of the stroke patient.
F-2-11-05
EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE TRAINING IN PATIENTS FOLLOWING STROKE
Huang Dongfeng, Zhuo Dahong & Lu Yanshan
(Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, P.R. China)
Abstract: This is a research designed to examine the effects of a combined approach using cognitive training and conventional motor function training in stroke patients. Seventeen males and thirteen females with complete stroke at an averaged age of 59.4 (range from 42 - 78) and with an averaged course of disease of 13.5 months (range from 1 - 35 months) were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The two groups were comparable. No significant differences were found between the two groups in age, sex, education, side of damage, course of disease, baseline Barthel's Index score, neurological severity score, past medical history score, medical complication score, and preliminary cognitive test score. The experimental group received cognitive training for 3 months, including memory, attention, orientation, speech, complex performance skills training, as well as a conventional motor training program for hemiplegia. The control group received only the conventional motor training. It was shown that cognitive skills of the experimental group improved significantly at the end of 3 months whereas no improvement in the control group. Comparison between two groups showed that the experimental group was significantly better in cognitive skills after the training. It was concluded that cognitive rehabilitative training was effective in stroke patients, particularly valuable in improving cognitive skills. Cognitive training should be included into a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
