Enabling Autonomy and Independence of Stroke Survivors: A Community-centric Occupational Therapy Framework Program
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Modern stroke rehabilitation priorities have shifted beyond mere physical restoration to include community reintegration, defined as an individual's process of resuming engaging participation across cultural, vocational, familial, and social domains.7 A recent qualitative meta-synthesis emphasized that real-world participation hinges on personal adaptability, resilience, emotional support, and therapeutic activities rooted in everyday environments.1 However, persistent barriers-such as residual physical dysfunction, environmental inaccessibility, and lack of community-based support-limit successful reintegration.Evidence consistently links successful community reintegration with key functional gains: gait speed, balance confidence, and overall mobility were significant predictors of community participation levels.8 Moreover, a recent cross-sectional study highlighted that return-to-work correlates with higher community integration, even as it may elevate depressive symptoms in some individuals.9 These findings illustrate the intricate interplay of physical, psychological, and contextual factors in shaping rehabilitation outcomes. IntroductIonStroke is a sudden neurological event characterized by an abrupt disruption of cerebral blood flow, either due to ischemia or hemorrhage, leading to immediate brain damage and multifaceted functional impairments.1 Among these, motor impairments are particularly debilitating, as they significantly restrict mobility, balance, and coordination, directly hampering an individual's ability to perform essential daily activities and reducing their prospects for independent living. 2 Motor dysfunction often persists as one of the most challenging poststroke disabilities, impeding community reintegration and increasing the risk of social isolation, depression, and reduced quality-of-life.3 Community reintegration-the process by which individuals resume valued social roles and participate actively in their environment-is critically dependent on physical functioning, especially motor recovery.Poststroke motor impairments can lead to mobility restrictions, which contribute to secondary complications such as muscle atrophy, joint contractures, and chronic pain syndromes, further compounding disability levels.4 Additionally, impaired motor function often coexists with other morbidities like cognitive deficits, aphasia, visual disturbances, and emotional disorders, forming a complex interplay that significantly delays or even prevents successful reintegration.5 The consequences of these combined morbidities extend beyond physical limitations.Stroke survivors with residual motor impairments frequently face challenges in accessing public spaces, maintaining employment, and engaging in social or recreational activities, which can lead to decreased social participation and poor psychological well-being.6 Therefore, effective rehabilitation programs targeting motor recovery are essential not only for improving functional independence but also for facilitating comprehensive community reintegration and enhancing longterm quality-of-life.
Authors: Megha Satyawali, Neha Jain
Language: English
Subfield: Rehabilitation
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7109092306