Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation Pathway for Stroke (CARPS)

Complex cognitive impairments are common after stroke and they can significantly impede individuals' progress in rehabilitation. Treatment strategies that allow patients to compensate for such deficits are therefore an important part of multidisciplinary rehabilitation, as acknowledged by various clinical guidelines. In part due to the heterogeneity of poststroke cognitive impairments, the evidence base for treatments in this area is often unclear or inconsistent. There are no straightforward clinical tools or guidelines available to facilitate poststroke cognitive rehabilitation across cognitive domains. The present article proposes a cognitive assessment and rehabilitation pathway for stroke (CARPS), which aims to provide a structure to guide stroke rehabilitation teams in this difficult area of clinical practice. Practical treatment strategies are also discussed in some detail. Finally, the limitations of the proposed pathway are acknowledged, as is the importance of further research.