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Post-stroke Rehabilitation of an African Woman

Goals

Stage 1

To improve gait, her tone was normalized, and activities were done to facilitate trunk stability, hip and knee control and selective active movement of her left leg. This occurred at the physical therapy gym at the rehabilitation center in the community. A normal gait pattern was encouraged. The occupational therapist introduced simple writing activities to develop skills in her right hand. She practiced her signature and copied down phone numbers. She was assisted to bake cookies using the implements in her right hand to develop dexterity in her right hand. This would also help her resume a former role as homemaker and increase her self-confidence.

Stage 2

To further improve her gait, she practiced walking outside her home and eventually to her church. The fact that she could get to the church meant that she could rejoin the church choir and socialize with her friends. Her dexterity and speed in writing with her right hand improved. She started practicing on a keyboard and discovered an easier method of writing.

Stage 3

Her walking had improved to the extent that she was confident enough to go shopping at the local market and face the challenges of uneven surfaces among a crowd of people while carrying her shopping bags. She still needed the assistance of her elbow crutch when going out into the community and using the crutch did not bother her anymore.

She became motivated to acquire computer skills and enrolled for a basic computer course in the community.