Employment in households with stroke after Constraint-Induced Movement therapy

Randomized controlled clinical studies show that Constraint-Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy) improves impaired arm function in patients with stroke. Little is known about how this therapy affects employment of patients or their caregivers. Individuals more than 1-year post-stroke (N=121) were retrospectively surveyed about their activities and employment prior to stroke, after stroke but before CI therapy and after CI therapy. They were also asked if someone had stopped working to be a caregiver and if that person had resumed employment. Before stroke, 48% of patients had been employed; this fell to 22% after stroke and did not significantly rise after CI therapy with most of the newly unemployed moving into a permanent retirement status before starting CI therapy. Among the CI therapy patients, one-quarter (29/121) reported that someone had limited their employment to take care of them following their stroke. After CI therapy, more than 60% (18/29) of caregivers returned to employment. Our preliminary finding regarding return to work by caregivers of stroke patients post-CI therapy warrants further study using prospective methods and randomized, controlled designs.