Empowering Stroke Survivors: A New Approach to Recovery
Surviving a stroke is a daunting experience, but the threat of a second stroke looms large for manny. In Canada,16% of stroke survivors experience a second stroke within a year,and 33% within five years. Though, innovative approaches to rehabilitation and self-management are offering hope and reducing these risks.
Understanding the threat: What is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, depriving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients. This can happen in two primary ways:
- Ischemic Stroke: A blockage or reduction in blood supply to the brain.
- Hemorrhagic Stroke: A blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts, causing bleeding.
Dr.Brodie Sakakibara, associate professor, emphasizes the severity of both types: Both are very serious medical emergencies. They can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, even death.
Empowering Survivors Through Technology
While the survival rate for first-time stroke victims exceeds 80%, Dr. Sakakibara focuses on improving the long-term health and well-being of survivors. His research centers on empowering individuals through technology-delivered rehabilitation and self-management programs.
Customary stroke care is often acute-focused, addressing immediate needs but lacking in long-term support. Our health system is very acute-focused, it’s reactionary-people go into the system as they had a stroke. But there’s little care for people once they’re discharged from that system and minimal focus on prevention of other events. [In our research], we look at stroke as a chronic condition, not acute,
Dr. Sakakibara explained.
The challenge lies in the limited resources and education available for chronic disease self-management. Many stroke survivors continue to live with the same risk factors that contributed to their initial stroke.
Dr. Sakakibara’s approach involves delivering support and resources online, directly to survivors’ homes and communities. These tailored programs, facilitated by trained health professionals, focus on recovery, prevention, and management.
We use simple, existing technologies to bring these rehab and support services right into people’s homes and make it accessible to as wide a group as possible.
dr. Brodie Sakakibara, Associate Professor
Access to the internet and a computer or mobile device is all that’s needed to participate. Clinical studies have demonstrated that these interventions not only reduce the risk of secondary strokes but also mitigate comorbid conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Saving the System: Reducing Healthcare Strain
By preventing secondary strokes and managing co-morbid conditions, Dr. Sakakibara’s work aims to alleviate the burden on canada’s healthcare system.
Self-management is decision making and problem solving,
Dr. Sakakibara saeid. We can teach individuals to recognize signs and symptoms of a developing co-morbid condition,and we can teach them to make the necessary decisions to head it off and manage on their own rather of accessing acute or emergency services. It substantially decreases the health resources being used.
This innovative approach empowers individuals to take control of their health, leading to better long-term outcomes.
I feel it’s helping people.It’s just me-I see people struggle and I want to help,
he said. Very few researchers and labs in the world are taking the approach of stroke as a chronic condition. It’s empowerment. It’s putting people back in control, letting them manage on their own and making them a key partner in their care for much better long-term outcomes.
