“I Give It Everything for an Hour Then I Sleep for Four.” The Experience of Post-stroke Fatigue During Outpatient Rehabilitation Including the Perspectives of Carers: A Qualitative Study

ConclusionDespite engaging in outpatient rehabilitation, stroke survivors largely learnt to manage fatigue independent of healthcare professionals. Carers often facilitated learning, monitoring rehabilitation, daily routines and fatigue exacerbation. Conversely, family could be dismissive of fatigue and possess unrealistic expectations. Post-stroke fatigue must be considered by clinicians when delivering outpatient rehabilitation to stroke survivors. Clinicians should consistently screen for fatigue, provide flexible session scheduling, and educate about individual indicators and strategies for management. Clinicians should also explicitly engage carers who play a critical role in the management of fatigue.
Source: Frontiers in Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research