The Roadmap to Successful Stroke Recovery

Research Objectives - The objective of the study was to determine if a predetermined roadmap of suggested post-stroke activities would be embraced by either a survivor or a survivor/caregiver team. A document called The Pillars of Stroke Victor Recovery was created in order to give survivors/caregivers a macro view of the activities which could be utilized to extend their post-stroke recoveries. The Stroke Recovery Foundation offers a service called Life Coaching for Stroke Survivors. These are private one-to-one coaching sessions, either in our offices or virtually. Coaching sessions are 60 minutes in length. Participants are stroke survivors, and in some cases, their caregiver partner joins them as a team. Participants are experimental and have completed their reimbursed therapy sessions. Participants range in age 30 to 75. Participants met with the facilitator for the equivalent of 5 one hour sessions. The first session was introductory, and explanatory. Following that session, there were 4 sessions where 2 or 3 activities were described and discussed in some detail. At the end of each session the facilitator suggested that the participants think about the activities presented and respond at the next session either in a positive, negative, or undecided way. Main Outcome Measures - 8 of the 11 participants expressed positive thoughts about having The Pillars laid out at the beginning of the coaching study. 2 of the participants seemed overwhelmed by the amount of information presented, and 1 dropped out after the introductory session. Results - There were 8 positive responses to the study. 5 were very enthusiastic about proceeding with the suggested activities. 3 were more questioning and somewhat laid back. The more enthusiastic groups were younger and by observation more energetic. Conclusions - Every stroke survivor situation is very different. That said, we believe that the idea of offering Life Coaching for Stroke Survivors with the Pillar document as a guide has been tentatively reinforced by a majority of participants. However, the study must be expanded in two ways. First, the number of participants must be increased, and second, we must track the activities of each of the survivors over time to see if they turn positive feelings into action, and actively implement the activities they were enthusiastic about. Author(s) Disclosures: The author created this Life Coaching service and therefore has a vested interest in seeing it be successful. That said, if there is no or limited follow-thru by participants the author will reevaluate the situation.