Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Investigation Of A Communication Enhanced Environment Model After Stroke: A Mixed Methods Before-And-After Pilot Study, Sarah D’Souza

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that affects approximately 30% of first ever stroke survivors and persists one-year post-stroke in up to 61% of survivors. Aphasia impacts on all communication modalities with significant negative consequences for social participation, interpersonal relationships, autonomy, capacity to work and quality of life. It is recognised that the environment can influence neural remapping during early stroke recovery. However, patients with aphasia (PWA) following stroke have been observed to spend less than 30% of their day communicating and 44% of their day alone during their first weeks of in-patient rehabilitation. Inadequate opportunities for communication places …

Treatment Fidelity In The Very Early Rehabilitation In Speech (Verse) Randomised Controlled Trial: An Exploration Of Treatment For Aphasia, Emily Louise Brogan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Aphasia is a neurological condition that affects the expression and/or comprehension of language and can have considerable impact on a person’s quality of life. Treatment for aphasia from speech language pathologists is effective. However, more information is needed on the nature of effective intervention including consideration for what therapy is provided, when it is commenced and how it is delivered. Treatment fidelity is concerned with ensuring research treatment protocols are implemented as they were intended, which assists in uncovering the specifics of how and why treatments work. When treatment fidelity is investigated thoroughly, researchers and research consumers can be …

Factors That Influence The Decision-Making Of An Integrated Rehabilitation Team When Choosing A Post-Hospital Discharge Destination For Survivors Of Stroke, Jessie M. Johnson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Stroke is one of the more disabling conditions which may result in the inability for survivors to care for themselves independently. Stroke survivors benefit most when they receive early onset assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation. Increasingly, stroke care in Canadian hospitals relies on an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team approach to provide immediate rehabilitation services and to make decisions about discharge destination for stroke survivors. Currently, there is little research on how interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams decide upon rehabilitation placements for stroke survivors or how individuals on the team, stroke survivors, or their families participate in and contribute to this decision. This research studied …

Speech And Swallowing Rehabilitation In The Home: A Comparison Of Two Service Delivery Models For Stroke Survivors, Katy J. E. Stewart

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background and Aims

Speech and swallowing difficulties are common sequelae for people who have suffered a stroke. Recently, there has been an increase in early discharge, community rehabilitation and the use of therapy assistants to support health professionals in stroke rehabilitation. However, the impact of these factors on communication and swallowing outcomes remains under researched. This research explored Rehabilitation in the Home (RITH) Speech Pathology (SP) services for stroke survivors with dysarthria and dysphagia. More specifically, this research investigated whether traditional speech pathology interventions, supplemented with a home practice program are effective, as well as compare usual treatment to that …