Associate Professor Cadilhac |
Improving cognitive difficulties for patients with stroke is
the aim of two collaborative research studies at Monash University, funded by
the Victorian Stroke Clinical Network (VSCN).
It is estimated that approximately one third of stroke
survivors will develop memory problems, yet stroke rehabilitation centres tend
to focus on physical rehabilitation rather than cognitive difficulties and
psychological recovery.
Associate Professor Dominique Cadilhac from the School of
Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) with Dr Rene Stolwyk and Dr Dana Wong
of the Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences will undertake
two projects relating to the subacute care of patients with stroke.
Associate Professor Cadilhac, Head of Translational Public
Health and Evaluation (Stroke and Ageing Research), and her team will conduct
program sustainability and feasibility evaluations for both projects.
“The ultimate goal is to provide evidence from these
projects that will support further expanding of the availability of these
neuropsychological services to patients with stroke throughout Australia,” said
Associate Professor Cadilhac.
The first project, led by neuropsychologist Dr Wong, focuses
on increasing access to a group rehabilitation program for patients with stroke
who have memory problems.
“In collaboration with Monash Health and Austin Health, we
will roll out and evaluate the effectiveness of the Monash Memory Skills Group,
which has helped improve everyday memory functioning for patients with stroke,”
said Associate Professor Cadilhac.
Barry Moore, a stroke survivor who has participated in the
Monash Memory Skills Group, said
“With physical issues from
a stroke you have access to the support of physiotherapists. For the mental stuff, however, I
really did not know where to go. The Memory Skills Group at Monash was
wonderful for me; my brain suffered fairly badly in my stroke and this was the
first time anyone had addressed it. The course had many practical aspects
relating to memory but also treated how the mind could work better. It was
terrific for us to have those discussions with experts."
Developing and evaluating a new teleneuropsychology
rehabilitation service for Echuca Regional Health, a collaborating partner
organisation, is the aim of the second project led by Dr Stolwyk.
“The hospital’s stroke survivors have not previously had
access to such a service, which will provide assessment and treatment for stroke-related
cognitive, behavioural and mood impairments,” said Dr Stolwyk.
Echuca Regional Health’s Stroke Coordinator Lauren Arthurson
said the VSCN-funded research grants will enable Echuca Health to collaborate with
Monash’s leading researchers to provide the necessary support to their stroke
patients.
“These grants acknowledge the collaboration between the School
of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and the Monash Institute of Cognitive and
Clinical Neurosciences and enable translational research with health and
industry partners,” said Associate Professor Cadilhac.
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