Post-stroke aphasia at the time of COVID-19 pandemic: a telerehabilitation perspective.
J Integr Neurosci
; 21(1): 8, 2022 Jan 28.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1687835
ABSTRACT
We report on our remote speech therapy experience in post-stroke aphasia. The aim was to test the feasibility and utility of telerehabilitation to support future randomized controlled trials. Post-stroke aphasia is a common and disabling speech disorder, which significantly affects patients' and caregivers' health and quality of life. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, most of the conventional speech therapy approaches had to stop or "switch" into telerehabilitation procedures to ensure the safety of patients and operators but, concomitantly, the best rehabilitation level possible. Here, we planned a 5-month telespeech therapy programme, twice per week, of a patient with non-fluent aphasia following an intracerebral haemorrhage. Overall, treatment adherence based on the operator's assessments was high, and incomplete adherence for technical problems occurred very rarely. In line with the patient's feedback, acceptability was also positive, since he was constantly motivated during the sessions and the exercises performed autonomously, as confirmed by the speech therapist and caregiver, respectively. Moreover, despite the sequelae from the cerebrovascular event, evident in some writing tests due to the motor deficits in his right arm and the disadvantages typical of all telepractices, more relevant results were achieved during the telerehabilitation period compared to those of the "face-to-face" therapy before the COVID-19 outbreak. The telespeech therapy performed can be considered successful and the patient was able to return to work. Concluding, we support it as a feasible approach offering patients and their families the opportunity to continue the speech and language rehabilitation pathway, even at the time of pandemic.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Aphasia
/
Stroke
/
Telerehabilitation
/
Stroke Rehabilitation
Type of study:
Case report
/
Experimental Studies
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
J Integr Neurosci
Journal subject:
Neurology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.jin2101008
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