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February 2008
for Therapists
Encouraging Awareness of the Involved Side
Many stroke survivors have difficulty turning their head toward the involved side. Several factors such as visual field, sensory or cognitive-perceptual deficits may contribute to this disregard.
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Therapists can encourage awareness by gently turning the head toward the involved side. However this approach does not have a lasting effect. |
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Here’s another more effective method. Choose a task that is interesting and motivating to the patient. Place all objects on the involved side.
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Incorporate the involved hand into the activity by placing your hand over the weak hand. Then ‘guide’ their hand through the task. |
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An interesting ‘hand-eye’ phenomenon occurs during ‘guiding’: the eyes will follow the hand. I have found this method to be highly effective in training patients to compensate for visual field deficits.
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For more treatment ideas in the hospital setting,
see Functional Treatment Ideas and Strategies in Adult Hemiplegia.
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