Wrist Stabilising Exercise Versus Hand Orthotic Intervention for Persons with Hypermobility - A Randomised Clinical Trial.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of wrist stabilisation exercises compared to conventional intervention, whether it reduces pain and/or paraesthesia in the hand, as well as how the interventions affected activity ability, health-related quality of life and effects on hand function and grip strength in people with Hypermobility Diagnosis.

Design: A randomised controlled trial.: Units of Occupational therapy in Primary Care, Kalmar County Council, SwedenParticipants: The study included 169 participants' data randomised to the Exercise group (n = 83) or the Control group (n = 86).

The centrality of work in everyday life after stroke: A qualitative study of long-term stroke survivors.

Background: Work is an occupation of great concern for younger stroke survivors. Given the high rate of people not working after stroke, there is a need to explore work after stroke from a long-term perspective, including not just an initial return to work, but also the ability to retain employment and how this may affect everyday life after stroke. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore experiences relating to work and to work incapacity among long-term stroke survivors.

Integrating consequences of stroke into everyday life - Experiences from a long-term perspective.

Background: Occupational engagement encompasses both objective and subjective aspects of occupation. Long-term follow-up studies indicate that stroke can have a negative impact on the ability to perform IADL. Less is known about the subjective experiences of occupational engagement and how engagement may evolve after stroke.

Long-term performance of instrumental activities of daily living in young and middle-aged stroke survivors-Impact of cognitive dysfunction, emotional problems and fatigue.

Background: With an upward trend in the number of people who return home to independent living after stroke, the ability to perform more complex activities is becoming an increasingly important long-term outcome after stroke. Although associations between Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and cognitive dysfunction, emotional problems, and fatigue have been reported, less is known about the long-term impact of these stroke consequences on the performance of everyday activities in young and middle-aged stroke survivors.

Objective: To explore the impact of cognitive dysfunction, emotional problems, and fatigue on long-term performance of instrumental activities of daily living in young and middle-aged stroke survivors.

Long-term performance of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in young and middle-aged stroke survivors: Results from SAHLSIS outcome.

Background: Although stroke prevalence is increasing and large proportions of stroke survivors are expected to live many years after stroke onset, research on the long-term consequences of stroke for instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is limited.

Aim: To explore performance of IADL seven years post-stroke onset and identify predictors of long-term IADL performance based on commonly employed acute measures and demographic characteristics in young and middle-aged stroke survivors.

Methods: Data on stroke survivors were collected from SAHLSIS.

Linking the Klein-Bell Activities of Daily Living Scale to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to link the Klein-Bell activities of daily living (KB) Scale to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), in order to validate the KB Scale content-wise.

Design: A qualitative approach was used with directed content analysis.

Methods: Concepts in the KB Scale items were linked to ICF categories according to established rules.

Comparison of visual acuity charts identifying visual impairment among older people outside the eye clinic.

Purpose: Evaluate the construct validity and describe sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of two short charts of visual acuity (VA) and examine whether these can identify and detect signs of visual impairment among older people.

Method: The study included 43 persons, >65 years, with age related eye disease, living in their own homes. An ophthalmologist assessed the individuals' VA at an eye clinic with the 5 m KM chart.

Getting used to assistive devices: ambivalent experiences by frail elderly persons.

The aim was to learn how frail elderly people experienced becoming assistive device users and how assistive devices affected their independence in daily activities. Focus-group methodology was used, including people 80 and older with multiple health problems. Five group discussions were conducted with a total of 18 people including 14 women and four men.

Virtual rehabilitation in an activity centre for community-dwelling persons with stroke. The possibilities of 3-dimensional computer games.

Background: The main purpose of this study was to place a virtual reality (VR) system, designed to assess and to promote motor performance in the affected upper extremity in subjects after stroke, in a nonhospital environment. We also wanted to investigate if playing computer games resulted in improved motor function in persons with prior stroke.

Methods: The intervention involved 11 patients after stroke who received extra rehabilitation by training on a computer 3 times a week during a 4-week period.

Virtual rehabilitation after stroke.

The purpose of this project was to investigate the effects of Virtual Reality technology and haptics for stroke rehabilitation. Twenty-nine stroke subjects, 17 women, and 12 men aged 44-85 years, participated in three different studies. All participants responded favorable to the use of the VR activity station.

Consequences of severity at stroke onset for health-related quality of life (HRQL) and informal care: a 1-year follow-up in elderly stroke survivors.

Severity of stroke influences the possibility of living at homes after stroke and has been discussed as one possible prognostic factor for functional outcome and future residence. The objective was to explore how severity at stroke onset affects health-related quality of life (HRQL) and informal care among 147 stroke survivors and their spouses living in their own homes 1 year after acute stroke. This study is part of "The Göteborg 70+ Stroke Study" which included 249 elderly persons after acute stroke.

Test-retest of a Swedish version of the Pulmonary Functional Status & Dyspnea Questionnaire-modified.

The number of people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing. From an occupational therapy perspective, it is important to estimate dyspnea, fatigue and activity performance in daily activities to be able to use the most effective interventions. In Sweden, there are several assessments for evaluating activities in daily living, but none of them are diagnosis specific for this group.

Gender perspective on informal care for elderly people one year after acute stroke.

Background And Aims: The aim of the one-year follow-up was to evaluate formal care and the situation of informal caregivers from a gender perspective.

Methods: The present study targeted elderly persons (n = 147) living in their own homes 12 months after acute stroke, 94 women and 53 men. The median age of the women was 81 years and the men 80 years.

Cognitive impairment after stroke - impact on activities of daily living and costs of care for elderly people. The Göteborg 70+ Stroke Study.

Background And Purpose: The economic burden of stroke is substantial and is likely to increase with an increasing number of elderly individuals in the population. There is thus a need for information on the use of health care resources and costs among these elderly stroke patients. We examined the impact of the cognitive impairments on the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and utilization and costs of health care in a cohort of elderly stroke patients.

Hospital re-admissions in relation to acute stroke unit care versus conventional care in elderly patients the first year after stroke: the Göteborg 70+ Stroke study.

Background: re-hospitalisation after discharge following index stroke varies over time and with age and comorbidity. There is little knowledge about whether stroke unit care reduces the need of re-admissions.

Objectives: to examine whether stroke unit care as compared with care in general medical wards was associated with fewer re-hospitalisations for conditions judged to be secondary to acute stroke and to identify the influence of stroke severity on re-admission rates.

Characteristics of elderly people readmitted to the hospital during the first year after stroke. The Göteborg 70+ stroke study.

Background And Purpose: Readmissions after acute stroke vary over time and with age and comorbidity. Knowledge of the reasons for readmissions and characteristics of readmitted patients is sparse. This 1-year prospective study examined whether readmissions were related to severity of the index stroke or to comorbidity and explored outcomes in readmitted patients with respect to daily life activities and health-related quality of life.

Use and cost of assistive technology the first year after stroke. A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The objective was to compare and evaluate assistive technology given to patients treated in a stroke unit and patients treated in a general medical ward.

Method: Use and cost of assistive technology was evaluated in a randomized study comprising 249 patients during a 12-month period.

Result: Acute stroke unit care was associated with a higher prescription of assistive devices during the first 3 months.