"Falls are important for all older people. But in people with stroke, falls add to the consequences of stroke. There is an opportunity to offer fall prevention strategies as part of the initial rehabilitation for stroke patients and as part of ongoing rehabilitation in the home," Kerse said.
Fall prevention strategies should include:
- Lower leg strengthening, balance retraining and exercise programs.
- Assessment of fall hazards in the home and improvements such as appropriate lighting, removal of obstacles and installation of hand rails.
- Increased awareness of fall prevention among family members.
More information
The American Heart Association has more about the effects of stroke.
