Stroke Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Services professionals assess and treat stroke patients so that they may resume their everyday activities in the least restrictive environment possible, with maximum independence. To do so, a patient may see several different therapists:
- A physical therapist to regain strength, range of motion, and safe mobility—the therapist may recommend exercises or mobility aids to ensure the patient's safety at home.
- An occupational therapist to assist with self-care skills—everything from self-feeding, bathing, and dressing to higher level functions such as preparing simple meals or assessing activity skills.
- A speech language pathologist to help with swallowing, cognitive, and basic language skills. For patients with muscle paralysis in the face, mouth, or neck, eating can be unsafe and communicating difficult. The speech language pathologist can assess the patient to make sure he can swallow safely.
Stroke Club
Valley Medical Center is host to the most active Stroke Club in the Puget Sound region. Stroke survivors and caregivers are invited to attend to share experiences, make supportive friends and learn new skills. The Stroke Club meets monthly at Valley Medical Center's Medical Arts Center,Conference Room A, March through October. To view the 2011 Stroke Club schedule with meeting dates and times, location information and topics, click here.
Contact Us
The Valley Rehabilitation Services team works closely with other healthcare staff to ensure each stroke patient achieves his goals. For information about stroke and stroke rehabilitation, call Valley Medical Center's Stroke Services Clinic at 425.656.4266.
Research Study Seeking Volunteers
New Hand and Arm Treatment Technique
The University of Washington, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine is conducting a study to determine the effectiveness of a new treatment technique designed to improve arm and hand function of individuals who have had a stroke.
This new treatment hopes to improve the strength, coordination, frequency of arm use, and quality of movement of the more affected arm and hand. Treatment requires participation for at least 2 hours per day, 3 days per week for 4 weeks or a total of 24 hours.
This treatment combines four techniques (1) training that require the use of both arms to complete common daily activities, (2) increased time spent in training (3) increased awareness and use of the weaker arm, and (4) techniques to encourage full participation in the therapy.
You may qualify for this study if you are:
• Between 18-84 years old
• Had a stroke at least 6 months ago
• Not currently receiving occupational therapy (OT) or physical therapy (PT)
• Can stand and walk around without the assistance of another person
• Can read, speak and understand English
For more information, please contact Cecille Corsilles-Sy, OTR/L at cecesy@u.washington.edu* or call (206) 744-8320.
*We cannot ensure confidentiality of email communication
