Feasibility of a novel intervention to improve participation after stroke

Introduction: Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. With shorter inpatient hospital stays, more time in rehabilitation is devoted to medical stabilization and less on skills to regain independence in daily activities. The transition home may be an opportunity for intervention focused on regaining independence. We propose an enhanced rehabilitation transition program called Community Participation Transition after Stroke. Method: A prospective, randomized, single-blinded, parallel-group pilot study was completed with 15 participants to demonstrate feasibility. Findings: Fidelity to the protocol was achieved: The Community Participation Transition after Stroke group received 81% of the planned minutes and 83% of the intervention visits. There was no difference between groups for healthcare utilization or falls. Adherence was 85% at three months and 71% at nine months for the home modification intervention. At 6 months, scores improved by 17.39 points for the Community Participation Transition after Stroke group, and 1.30 points for the control group. Environmental barriers decreased in both groups. Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated that it is feasible to implement a community participation intervention during the period of transitioning home from inpatient rehabilitation for stroke survivors. Additional studies are necessary to determine the efficacy of the intervention.