The Effect of Training Older Adults with Stroke to Use Home-Based Assistive Devices

Abstract

This study evaluated whether an additional home training program on bathing devices would improve the rate of use, personal independence, and service satisfaction of older adults who had experienced strokes. A prospective pretest and posttest randomized control trial design was adopted. Fifty-three older adults who had experienced strokes were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. The prescription of and training in the use of devices was conducted with both groups while they were in the hospital. The intervention group received additional home-based intervention in the use of devices immediately after discharge, but the control group did not. All of the subjects were assessed before discharge and 3 months after discharge using the Functional Independence Measure and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology. The results showed that the intervention group improved significantly in functioning ( t = 3.89; df = 51; P = .01) and satisfaction ( t = 69.8; df = 29; P = .01) after intervention. The rate of use of bathing devices was relatively higher in the intervention group (96.7%) than in the control group (56.5%). Further studies with extended follow-up services are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of training in the use of assistive devices.