Stroke rehabilitation in adults

Terms used in this guideline

Aphasia Loss or impairment of the ability to use and comprehend language, usually resulting from brain damage.

Apraxia (of speech) Difficulty in initiating and executing the voluntary movement needed to produce speech when there is no weakness of speech muscles. It may cause difficulty producing the correct speech or changes in the rhythm or rate of speaking.

Assessment A detailed process which aims to define the nature and impact of an impairment and devise a treatment plan.

Dysarthria Difficulty in articulating words.

Dysphagia Difficulty in swallowing.

Dyspraxia Difficulty in planning and executing movement.

Early supported discharge A service for people after stroke which allows transfer of care from an inpatient environment to a primary care setting to continue rehabilitation, at the same level of intensity and expertise that they would have received in the inpatient setting.

Hemianopia Blindness in one half of the visual field of one or both eyes.

Neglect An inability to orient towards and attend to stimuli, including body parts, on the side of the body affected by the stroke.

Orthosis A device that supports or corrects the function of a limb or the torso.

Screening A process of identifying people with particular impairments. People can then be offered information, further assessment and appropriate treatment. Screening may be performed as a precursor to more detailed assessment.

Stroke rehabilitation service A stroke service designed to deliver stroke rehabilitation either in hospital or in the community.

Stroke unit An environment in which multidisciplinary stroke teams deliver stroke care in a dedicated ward which has a bed area, dining area, gym, and access to assessment kitchens.