Indian Journal of Neurosurgery Vol. 2 | Issue 3 | September-December | 2013 248 Well‑organized rehabilitation program, initiated immediately after stroke, enhance the recovery process and minimize the functional disability in post‑stroke patients. Hence it is very important to make a proper guideline for the rehabilitation of stroke patients with multiple disabilities, especially during the early phases of post‑stroke periods. This article has been adapted from various literatures and outlines briefly the problems experienced by stroke survivors and provides a summary of the early comprehensive rehabilitation post‑stroke. OBJECTIVES OF REHABILITATION The objectives of stroke rehabilitation are to maximize the functional independence, reintegrate patients back into the home and community and improve the self‑esteem of patient. [7] The ultimate goal is to improve the quality‑of‑life of patient. The‑team‑approach Stroke patients often suffer from multiple disabilities and hence, require either an interdisciplinary [8] or Address for correspondence: Dr. Apurba Barman, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Sizua, Bhubaneswar - 751 019, Odisha, India. E-mail: apurvaa23@gmail.com INTRODUCTION Stroke is the second common cause of disability after dementia in elderly population. [1] It causes tremendous impact on survivors and family members. [2,3] As per World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, 72.5% stroke survivors are severely disabled in rural India. [4] The post‑stroke disabilities are primarily due to loss of locomotion, activity of daily living (ADL), cognition and communication skills. [5] During the 1 st week, 78‑90% patients become partial to completely dependent on family members for daily activities and at the end of 6 months, 40‑62% patients remain dependent. [5] The incidence of complete dependence in ADL decreases from 58% at 1 week to 9% at 6 months among stroke survivors. [6] ABSTRACT Stroke is a signifcant cause of long‑term disability world‑wide. The post‑stroke disabilites are due to loss of locomoton, actvity of daily living, cogniton and communicaton skills. Rehabilitaton is an integral part of medical management and contnues longitudinally through acute care, post‑acute care and community reintegraton. The objectves of stroke rehabilitaton are to maximize the functonal independence, minimize the disabilites, reintegrate back into the home and community and improve the self‑esteem of patent. A comprehensive stroke rehabilitaton service should provide early assessment of impairments and disabilites, management and preventon of complicatons and well‑organized rehabilitaton program in both in‑patent and out‑patent setngs. A multdisciplinary or interdisciplinary team approach is necessary to reduce the post‑stroke disabilites. It has many members, including physicians, physical therapists, occupatonal therapists, speech and language pathologists, orthotst, psychotherapists, social workers, vocatonal rehabilitaton therapists, rehabilitaton nurse, patents, families and other caregivers. Physicians caring for patents with stroke during rehabilitaton must be aware of potental medical complicatons, as well as a number of special problems that may complicate recovery, including cognitve defcits, aphasia, dysphagia, urinary incontnence, shoulder pain, spastcity, falls and depression. Involvement of patent and caregivers in the rehabilitaton process is essental. This artcle outlines the salient features of the early comprehensive rehabilitaton afer stroke. Key words: Disability, rehabilitaton, stroke Rehabilitation of a patient with stroke Apurba Barman, Ashok K. Mahapatra 1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 1 Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Sizua, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India Access this article online Quick Response Code: Website: www.ijns.in DOI: 10.4103/2277-9167.124230 REVIEW ARTICLE This document was downloaded for personal use only. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited.