Caring for stroke patients at home

The extent and type of care provided by relatives and friends living with a stroke patient was studied among 120 6-month survivors. Eighty-one (68%) carers felt that they had to give more help than before the stroke. The patients looked after by these 81 carers were more functionally disabled, more cognitively impaired, more often had speech impairment and urinary incontinence than the 39 patients whose companions did not give any extra help. Only a third of patients had been left unattended for all or part of the day prior to the interview and 18 per cent required attention every night. The majority (85%) of patients receiving help from companions were under regular review by health or social services. Over two-thirds of carers felt that providing support had had an adverse effect on their lives.