Preparing

This week as well as my research project I have also started to prepare for my next placement with a community stroke team. I have been liaising with my practice placement educator and discussing areas I can read and prepare some knowledge on before arriving on placement. These areas will be focused on:

• General understanding of stroke
• Different types of stroke
• Available treatments
• Symptoms
• Neuroplasiticty
• Effects on ADL's
• Supporting someone with stroke from an OT perspective
• Cognitive & emotional changes
• Communication difficulties (expressive and receptive dysphasia)

I have completed an e-learning course on stroke awareness which has given me a really good insight and a basic understanding of stroke and how complex it can be!

My first ever certificates for my CPD!

If you are a follower of my blog - you will know that from my post regarding my observational placement with a community neuro team I am very interested in stroke and it's many complexities. I feel it is good to have this small piece of experience to build upon as I did see a lot of patients with stroke during that one week and an array of different treatment strategies and assessment tools used.

I find it fascinating how complex the human brain really is - and depending on the area of the brain affected determines how the person may be affected by a stroke. 

Image available at: http://www.familyhealthonline.ca/fho/familymedicine/FM_stroke_FHc13.asp

People can be affected in many ways including:

• Cognition & memory problems
• Vision problems
• Emotional affects/depression
• Personality differences
• Loss of mobility
• Speech problems
• Swallowing problems

As an OT student and focusing on a person as an occupational being - this can have very detrimental affects on a person's participation within their daily occupations. Some examples might be:

• Work
• Driving
• Change of relationship dynamics or family roles
• Social isolation
• Independence 

I feel that OT practice in supporting individuals after stroke is a very important role and can have very positive affects and results in stroke recovery. I am looking forward into researching into the condition further and broadening my awareness of anatomy knowledge during my placement.