As the population of stroke survivors continues to grow, experts are calling for increased awareness of the role palliative care can play in post-stroke care, according to a scientific statement published Dec. 16 in Stroke.
Despite how effective it can be for helping stroke survivors and their caregivers manage the physical, mental and emotional health challenges that come with surviving a stroke, palliative care is often underused, according to a Dec. 16 news release from the American Heart Association.
A recent article review found between 0.4% to 8.9% of stroke survivors are referred to a palliative care specialist, the release said.
"Even though the majority of strokes are not immediately life-threatening, every stroke is life-altering and every stroke requires high-quality, person-centered care," Claire Creutzfeldt, MD, co-author of the statement and associate professor of neurology at Seattle-based University of Washington said in the release. "Integrating palliative care principles into stroke care is fundamental for all patients and at every stage after a stroke."
The statement calls for more research to be done on what happens during the post-acute phase, after a stroke survivor is discharged from the hospital.
Recent studies found 34% to 45% of stroke survivors were discharged home without additional care services, 30% to 42% were discharged to inpatient post-acute care facilities and 10% to 11% were discharged home with additional care services.
The statement also addressed palliative care needs, holistic assessment, post-stroke care inequities and post-stroke end-of-life care.
Read the full scientific statement here.