[Stroke in nursing care--regarding the need for a neurogeriatric management process]

In Austria every year approximately 15,000 people are suffering the fate of stroke. A permanent handicap remains in about 60 percents. Many of the patients need permanent assistance and admittance to a nursing home is often required. The clinical picture of stroke makes it necessary that even in nursing homes a qualified and professional care is offered to the patients to satisfy their needs. In such stroke care specialized nursing homes an extensive multiprofessional assessment is useful to determine and to quantify the deficits but even the abilities of stroke victims. The results are the basis for further treatment and planning of nursing care. More and more modern and progressive nursing concepts are used emphasizing the special clinical situation. The goal is to establish an extensive concept of stroke care that is realized not only in stroke units but even in long term care institutions. A modern long term management of stroke patients exceeds the term "Pflegefall" by far. It is a multiprofessional challenge.