Occupational Therapy in Care Homes Project (OTCH)

A quarter of all people who are admitted to hospital with a stroke are discharged to a care home. Some people who suffer a stroke are admitted directly to a care home, while some suffer a stroke while they are resident in a care home. Those people who survive a stroke and are admitted to care homes often experience severe disability: they may be unable to walk or carry out everyday self-care activities (such as dressing, using the toilet or cutting up food). In addition, stroke survivors often have difficulties with speech or thinking clearly.

Unfortunately, in UK care homes less than 3% of residents receive occupational therapy as part of their standard care. This results in a limited amount of assessment, the provision of adaptive equipment, or practice that can help to improve activities of daily living.

Study aims

To assess the effectiveness of providing occupational therapy to stroke survivors in care homes on their mood, mobility, activities of daily living and thinking processes.