Bringing the Stroke Recovery Journey Map
to your Health Care Team
The Clinician’s User Guide was designed to help health care providers understand how to use the stroke journey recovery website with stroke survivors and care partners.
Stroke survivors and care partners may find it helpful to print a copy of the Clinician’s User Guide to bring to their health care providers.
Clinician’s User Guide
My Stroke Recovery Journey resource was developed to:
• support a conversation at any point in the continuum about the stroke journey, possible next steps and how to navigate the road ahead
• illustrate that stroke recovery is different for everyone; each stroke journey is unique with many different supports and services required
• support teaching about the overall stroke recovery journey, discharge needs, next phase of care and local programs and services
• support goal setting conversations
• reinforce that recovery takes time and continues beyond the inpatient phase of care
Purpose of this User Guide:
• to ensure clarity amongst stakeholders regarding the purpose and utilization of the resource
• to ensure that the full value of the resource is realized and it is used effectively, consistently and with standardized content for persons with stroke and their care partners
• to provide an orientation to the resource including highlighting key features
General Tips for using the Resource with Persons with Stroke, Families and Care Partners
• The resource is designed to be used across the continuum of care (acute care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, stroke prevention clinic and community settings).
• There are 2 sides to CSSN My Stroke Recovery Journey resource (graphic map on one side and resource listing on the other).
• The resource is intended to be a conversation starter about the recovery journey. The conversation you have and how you use the resource will be unique to each person.
• Broad categories of programs and services that may be encountered during recovery are presented. Images serve as prompts to explore specific needs and goals of the person with stroke and are not intended to address every recovery scenario (e.g. an image of golfing is not on the resource, however this does not preclude the discussion of return to golfing as a goal. The clinician may opt to sketch a golf club or write the word “golfing”).
• Use the resource in an interactive manner to stimulate discussion (point to specific features, mark or highlight key pieces of information, circle or underline key words, etc.).
• Focus on the images and phases of the journey that are relevant to the person at that time. Consider their information needs, their phase of care and recovery goals and the
availability of health care and community services locally.
Emphasize that
• every stroke is different
• the recovery journey is often non-linear and the person may move back and forth along the continuum of care
• reinforce hope
• Share additional information on relevant local resources as appropriate
Page 2 key points:
Every stroke recovery journey is different.
Tailor the conversation considering:
• the individual’s journey/their unique patient experience
• their information need
• their phase of recovery and readiness
The programs and services listed under “Transition” and “Reintegration” serve as prompts to facilitate discharge planning and to assist in discussing longer term recovery, various timings and stages of transitions and reintegration
• Not all programs and services listed will be applicable to the stroke person
• Access to and availability of local programs and services may vary
Key Notes Pages
• For supportive conversation and to use for those with cognitive, memory and emotional deficits / issues
• For patients/families and care partners to refer to
• Could use with talk back
• For care providers to refer to and create efficient and most relevant treatment planning