More rehab 'needed to help stroke survivors

STROKE victims are being confined to nursing homes as a substitute of regaining independence due to a scarcity of funding in neighborhood rehabilitation, in accordance with the Irish Heart Basis (IHF).

Simply €1 in every €80 spent on look after stroke victims is spent on group rehabilitation that could assist maintain people out of nursing homes.

There are an estimated 50,000 stroke survivors in Eire and the IHF stated it was going through an "appalling" lack of neighborhood rehab services.

IHF head of advocacy Chris Masey stated that while hospital services for stroke patients had improved dramatically in recent times, group companies nonetheless lagged far behind.

"The cost of strokes to the State is €567m a yr -- €414m of that is spent on nursing residence look after people who have had strokes while round €7m is spent on community rehab providers that could hold folks out of nursing homes.

"There are in excess of 50,000 stroke survivors so you're talking about €144 being spent per person -- that is the equal of 1 physio session a year being paid for when what you want is multiple inputs," he added.

Mr Masey stated that even a small improve in the €7m spent on group providers could result in a large reduction in the quantity spent on stroke sufferers in nursing homes.

He mentioned that two years in the past there have been simply six hospitals that had dedicated stroke models -- now there are 26. However, he added that so as to build on the improvements in acute providers, and maximise advantages for patients, investment in group supports was needed.

The IHF will immediately unveil its new affected person charter which outlines the remedy stroke patients should expect -- from when the ambulance is called, to hospital care and rehabilitation.

Mr Masey said that suffering a stroke can be the "most catastrophic" occasion in a person's life and is a very complicated time. The new patient charter is designed to indicate patients and their families the 'gold customary' of care.

Charter

"If persons are getting an excellent service, the charter can put their mind at rest. If not, they can level to this constitution and ask 'why am I not getting this service?'," stated Mr Masey.

The rights outlined within the charter include being treated as a medical emergency and fast ambulance service to a hospital that has the expertise to treat stroke patients.

Patients should be seen right away by a physician who's an skilled in treating stroke patients and all scans and exams needs to be accomplished in 24 hours.

The charter also says patients ought to receive as much rehabilitation as they require, together with physiotherapy, occupational and speech and language remedy, medical psychology and dietary advice.

- Breda Heffernan.