From hospital to home

Initially, people who have had a stroke may need intensive treatment in hospital and 24-hour nursing care. A significant amount of recovery usually happens within the first few weeks, but often improvements are still happening years later.



Rehabilitation is a process that continues at home or in residential care. The priority is for the person to leave hospital as soon as they are fit enough and when it is safe for them to do so.

Discharge plan
Progress is carefully assessed by the stroke team and a social worker, who is the link to community resources. Together they work out a discharge plan to make sure all the support needed from health and social services is in place before the person leaves hospital. Where appropriate, this can inlcude a referral to the local NHS Stop Smoking Service.

Before the person leaves hospital, the social worker and other therapists can assess their home and talk to family about ongoing rehabilitation. If the person hasn’t seen a social worker in hospital, they or their family can contact local social services and ask for someone to visit them at home to assess
their needs.

Links
Audio - When a stroke happens (3823 kb)
A stroke is a brain injury
Hospital tests
Swallow test
Heart and blood vessel tests
Going into hospital
Rehabilitation

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