Case | Self-Management in stroke rehabilitation

Ursula suffered a Stroke four years ago at the age of 50. Prior to this, she did not go to work, but was happily married with three children aged 12, 14 and 17.

Ursula’s’ Stroke affected the left side of her brain, which impacted the physical control of the right side of her body along with her verbal expression, sequencing, and logic . Initially, Ursula could not eat, drink or mobilise independently. Since then, she has undergone lots of rehabilitation and can now walk with a stick and eat soft foods.
Physically she has improved a lot, however, she still suffers with speech, vision and memory problems. This leaves her feeling isolated and confused as this affects her perception of self and her environment. Ursula wants to feel something familiar and would like to be able to take over tasks to take care of her family, like she used to. Most of these tasks have been taken over by the older children and her husband. She also would take part in ADLs independently.


Questions to have a think about!

  • What is the definition of self management?
  • What OT interventions would you use to assist with self management?
  • How would you assess Ursula’s routine and priorities?

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