Co-creation of self-management support during inpatient stroke rehabilitation

This study aimed to identify priority self-management skills and behaviours in partnership with stroke survivors, and to co-create approaches to support self-management during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Three stroke survivors and two communication partners participated in the three-stage Participatory Action Research project with embedded co-design processes after undertaking inpatient rehabilitation at a metropolitan tertiary hospital.

Participants identified key factors influencing self-management during inpatient rehabilitation including motivation, emotional well-being, and fatigue. Three approaches to support people to self-manage post-stroke were co-created. (1) A health professional concierge and early family meeting. (2) A peer support person. (3) Adapting the hospital environment.

Findings suggest post-stroke self-management support should commence during inpatient rehabilitation to optimise its research-informed benefits. This support should focus on empowering stroke survivors and their key support people through active involvement in decision-making, and provision of multi-modal individualised education. The impact of hospital environments on emotional-wellbeing and self-management post-stroke also requires further investigation.

The identification of a health professional concierge as a co-designed solution to the current challenges with self-management support is an innovative recommendation for practice. The findings support changes to the traditional processes of rehabilitation towards a consumer and family-led practices.