In the footsteps of stroke rehabilitation

Each year in the UK, more than 100,000 people will have a stroke – that’s one person every five minutes.

When someone has a stroke, part of the blood supply to the brain is cut off, which kills brain cells. Any damage to the brain can affect how the body works, and it can also change how someone thinks and feels. The effects and long-term impact of a stroke depend on where it takes place in the brain, and how big the damaged area is.

Though a stroke affects people in different ways, rehabilitation is a vital part of every stroke survivor’s journey, starting from a patient’s arrival to hospital and continuing in the community then at home.

Throughout this period, a patient will be cared for by a number of therapists specialising in stroke who assess the effects the stroke has had and support the patient’s ongoing recovery needs. There is no uniform pattern of recovery for the 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK. Their recovery journeys will vary depending on individual needs and goals, with rehabilitation playing a key role in reducing the impact of disability and enabling the survivors to regain abilities they previously had.

In an article on our website, we look at a patient’s road to recovery through rehabilitation. From their initial arrival on the Stroke Unit at Maidstone Hospital to returning home, we follow the amazing work of our stroke therapists as they help patients achieve the best recovery possible and re-learn skills for everyday life.