Theory and Construction of a Care Plan for Stroke RehabilitationFor this assignment I will be looking at the care planning process for an elderly stroke patient. The theory behind care plans how they are constructed and are used in rehabilitation and ongoing care I will also look briefly into my client's condition.For this placement I was based on an elderly female rehabilitation ward. Patients were admitted from a range of places, but mainly from acute elderly care wards. Patients were transferred to the ward for specialised rehabilitation, to a stage where they could be discharged, either to their own home or into residential care. The conditions patients were admitted with were quite varied, ranging from severe MS and CVA patients, to confusion and falls at home.The client this assignment will be based on is an 82 year old lady whom for the sake of confidentiality I will call "Mary". She was admitted to an elderly medical ward after being found on the floor of her flat by the police. She was diagnosed with right sided stroke which had caused Paralysis of the entire left side of her body, which was causing several related problems. She was also diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) which was the probable source for the clot that caused the cerebral ischemia. To prevent further clotting she was placed on Warfarin (an anticoagulant). Mary also suffered from osteoarthritis which she was taking pain killers.She stayed on a medical ward for about 3 weeks where she was fully cared for with little rehab. She was then transferred to the rehabilitation ward.Rehabilitation is the processes of helping an individual achieve the highest level of function, independence, and quality of life, it does not reverse or undo the damage caused by disease or trauma, but helps restore the individual to optimal health, functioning, and well-being. Rehabilitate (from the Latin "habilitas") means to make able. The interaction of disease, disability, and the environment creates a set of variables unique to every patient, and any rehabilitation care plan must therefore be individually tailored to their needs.The type of stroke Mary had suffered from was an Ischemic stroke meaning a blood clot caused a blockage in an artery leading to the brain. As the brain does not get enough oxygen rich blood, the oxygen starved brain cells can die within minutes. The condition must be treated immediately. Rapid response to stroke can result in little apparent damage, but a stroke left untreated for too long can result in neurological tissue damage (e.g., permanent loss of speech or paralysis) or death.Strategies for stroke rehabilitation should be started as soon as possible, preferably in the acute setting and then continued in a rehab setting or at home.Physical therapy is focused on regaining gross motor deficits (transferring, walking, stairs, etc.). Occupational therapy focuses on fine motor functions and focal deficits, brain functions such as...
