Therapy shouldn’t end in the hospital and to close the gap in outpatient services for patients after a stroke, the Virtual Stroke Rehab program was created.
Operating as the District Stroke Centre for York Region, the team at Mackenzie Health is connecting patients to services in the comfort of their own home. The Western York Region Ontario Health Team is working with Mackenzie Health to create opportunities for virtual treatment in partnership with and Community and Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS) and March of Dimes. This collaborative service offering has been created to provide patients with access to intensive therapy sessions well beyond their discharge date—creating a full continuum of care.
The Virtual Stroke Rehab program assists individuals who are experiencing cognitive, motor, and speech challenges as the result of a stroke with individual, one-on-one sessions with a speech-language pathologist.
To get started, the program coordinator at Mackenzie Health connects with the patients and their families to set up treatment times and then assigns a speech-language pathologist to create a customized education plan. Patients do not have to travel, wait in waiting rooms, or worry about the logistics of attending an in-person appointment, which is of great benefit to stroke patients who may be experiencing mobility issues.
The integration of video technology allows patients to see themselves on camera, leading to self-awareness and self-correction that can result in more independence and better recovery times.
If additional support is needed, our partners at CHATS and March of Dimes work to create a plan to address individual needs. Supports include Wi-Fi connections and technology delivery, translation services and an opportunity to continue care beyond the duration of the program. The speech-language pathologist links the patient to the March of Dimes After Stroke program team for ongoing support after treatment is complete.
Contact your speech-language pathologist and physician about being referred to the Virtual Stroke Rehab program to get the care you need.
