Once released from the hospital after a stroke, it is important to start thinking about how best to continue your post stroke rehabilitation program. 

How to Determine the Best at Home Stroke Rehab Device to Use



Once you or a loved one is released from the hospital after having a stroke and
are back home it is important to start thinking about how to best continue your 
post stroke rehabilitation [https://www.neofect.com/us/] program. It is
important for a stroke survivor to stay motivated even after they have been
discharged from all therapy programs. Research shows that people can continue to
recover from a stroke for years after the original stroke.

When determining what device would be best for you or a loved one after a stroke
its important to look at a few key components.

Does the device incorporate a key factor to healing after a stroke:
Neuroplasticity?


A stroke causes damage to the brain which can cause one side of the body to have
weakness. However our brain has the ability to rewire itself after an injury,
this is called neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/can-e-stim-help-jumpstart-outpatient-stroke-rehabilitation]
. The principles behind neuroplasticity states that in order for the brain to
rewire itself it requires repetitive exercises to be done in order to build new
pathways. Therefore it is very important to find a device that incorporates
repetitive movements.

Is the device backed by evidence?
When choosing a device it is important to make sure the device has been utilized
in multiple research studies and has proven to work to improve people's function
after having a stroke. You want to make sure the device is viable and reliable.

Is the device user friendly and can it be used independently by a stroke
survivor who has one sided weakness?
It is important to find a device that you or your loved one can use
independently and will not cause frustration. It is important to find a device
that will motivate you! Can you or your loved one set up and or put on the
device independently is an important question to ask yourself if that person
will be home alone when using the device.

Is the product paired with any assistance from a therapist?


It is important to make sure that the device allows support when needed from a
therapist who can help you along the way and answer individual questions along
the way.

Is the device affordable?
It is important to find a stroke rehab device
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/how-the-neofect-smart-glove-stroke-rehab-device-aids-stroke-recovery] 
that is affordable for you. Most devices are not covered by insurance, therefore
it is important to find a device that best suits your needs. It is important to
find a device that is worth the money and will not just collect dust on your
shelf!

Choosing a good device for your needs after a stroke is very important and
should be done in a timely manner. It is very important to continue with your
stroke rehab at home as you can continue to make gains for many years after a
stroke!

Neofect Smart Home Rehab has developed the Smart Glove, Smart Kids Glove, and
Smart Board which helps people who have suffered from a stroke, traumatic brain
injury, Cerebral Palsy, or many other neurological injuries. The Smart Glove is
lightweight and portable, and can be taken anywhere along with the 10 inch
mobile tablet it connects with. The Smart Glove and Smart Board are both
affordable products that can be used at home independently or with a therapist.

After purchasing a Smart Glove or Smart Board an onboarding session with an 
occupational therapist [https://www.neofect.com/us/therapist] will be scheduled.
During the onboarding session the occupational therapist will provide education
on how to properly utilize device and will be there to provide support. At the
end of the session the occupational therapist will provide you her information
so that if you have any other questions or concerns you can reach out at any
time.

The Smart Glove and Smart Board are biofeedback tools that were created based on
the theory of neuroplasticity of the brain. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s
ability to create new connections and neural pathways by performing repetitive
movements. The Smart Glove and Smart Board help to create a lot of repetition in
a fun and engaging way. Each of the activities encourage movements that are
needed for activities of daily living, so you can work towards gaining back your
independence.

The Smart Glove [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] and Smart Board is
backed by research at some top facilities. Research has shown that utilizing the
Smart Glove 5 times per week for at least 30 minutes has increased users upper
extremity function as well as overall quality of life. Therefore, consistency is
key!

To learn more about the Smart Glove, Smart Kids Glove or Smart Board and find
out how you can purchase a therapeutic stroke rehab device that you can use
anywhere or anytime please call (888) 623-8947 or email contactus@neofect.com.

stroke rehab device

After having a stroke, Marcy began looking for at-home stroke rehabilitation solutions. This is Marcy's story after her 1 month of acute rehab in the hospital.

Stroke Recovery Story After Stroke and Acute Rehab in the Hospital



Soon after having a stroke, Marcy began looking for stroke rehabilitation
solutions that she can do at home. She went from the hospital to an acute rehab
for 1 month before being discharged. After which, Marcy became concerned about
going from having stroke physical therapy 6 times a day to once a week. She knew
that she needed a lot of repetition in her post stroke rehabilitation and did
not think she was going to get that in her weekly therapy session.

Q & A with Stroke Survivor Marcy

Where did you engage in rehab and how long did it take
I started looking for solutions while still in rehab. I was in a local hospital
for a week and then acute rehab for 1 month. I worked with an OT 3 times a day.
I was going from therapy 6 times a day to once a week, which concerned me a lot.

Why did you decide to look for additional tools for at-home rehab? Were there
other devices that you purchased or considered?
I am a nurse educator, so I have some background information on neuro rehab.
Knowing how important repetition is for rehabilitation, I was concerned to be
only going to therapy once a week. I spent a lot of time Googling different
rehab solutions to try to understand it the best I could. At first, the only
at-home rehabilitation solution I only came across was the Flint Music Glove.

Where did you go to find out about the different rehab solutions?
I Googled a lot of different post stroke rehab [https://www.neofect.com/us/] 
solutions to try to understand it as thoroughly as I could. I found that I can
search ‘Stroke OT exercises’ every day and find something new. My daughter also
did some research and found some solutions on Pinterest. At first, I only saw
the Flint Music Glove, which I found on Facebook and via Google. Aside from
that, my therapist recommended a book, My Stroke of Insight. I also found the
book Healing the Broken Brain to be very helpful.

When and how did you first find out about the Neofect Smart Glove?
After leaving the hospital, I found the Neofect Smart Glove
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] through a Facebook group that mentioned
the product and decided to do my own research on it.



Why did you choose Neofect Smart Glove among the options?
I was attracted to the variety of games, which made me think it would keep me
more engaged. I wanted something that would change with my progress and
challenge me. I believed the Neofect Smart Glove to be the right stroke rehab
device [https://www.neofect.com/us/] for me because I understood that the games
adapt to the patient’s progress.

How easy do you feel that it was to obtain the Smart Glove? What was confusing,
if anything, about the process?
I simply filled out a contact form and then Neofect reached out to me. It was
very easy after that. Neofect was really great at answering all of my questions.
They sent me a size guide, called the day after I received it to make sure I got
everything and understood how to use it.

I have been using the glove since May. I really liked the in-person visit that
helped me understand how important the motion capture is to setting up the
exercise correctly. I personally would appreciate a clearer demonstration of
correct vs. incorrect usage during the onboarding call.

How long have you been using the glove? What functional changes have you noticed
since you started using the product?
I am now better able to open and close my hand and have noticed some improvement
with my wrist as well. I am now also able to move my index finger to my thumb.
However, I still do highly favor my other hand for more functional activities.

What advice would you give to someone that’s thinking about coming on board with
the Neofect Smart rehab system?
I would definitely tell them to do it. This system helped me with my hand
rehabilitation and it’s fun at the same time.

Has this device or approach to therapy influenced anyone else in your life? Have
you used the Smart Glove with a therapist?
I think the in-person session with my Neofect [https://www.neofect.com/us] 
therapist was very useful. My regular therapist also regards the Neofect Smart
Glove very positively and recommends it. I think Lauren’s visit was very useful
to push it along though. The more a therapist can see the Smart Glove in action
the more they will recommend it to other people. My therapist has talked to
other patients about it.

For more information on the Neofect Smart Glove and other post stroke rehab
devices, contact us [https://www.neofect.com/us/contact] today at (888)
623-8984.

stroke recovery stories

Stroke Recovery Stories - Stroke Survivor Marcy

Research done on our RAPAEL Smart Glove and other therapy devices has shown that patients can achieve improvements even 20 years after the incident!

Why Neuroplasticity Matters to Your Rehabilitation

The research was done on RAPAEL Smart Glove and other therapy devices have shown that patients can achieve improvements even 20 years after the incident!

Why Neuroplasticity Matters to Rehabilitation

Neuroplasticity for Stroke Paitents' Rehabilitation


If you have been in rehabilitation for a brain injury
[https://www.neofect.com/us/for-home], such as trauma or a stroke you have
probably heard the term neuroplasticity. It might sound intimidating, but it is
one of the most important concepts related to recovery.

Neuroplasticity is simply a catch-all term to describe the many ways that the
brain and nervous system change, both in our everyday lives as well as in
recovery after an injury.

A Brief History


The word “plasticity” first appeared in an 1890 textbook called The Principles
of Psychology, written by esteemed philosopher and psychologist William James.
He describes the brain as a collection of pathways through which information
must travel. The information the brain needs to move the hand, for example, must
travel from point A in the brain to point B before the hand actually moves.

Usually, that information takes a specific path, one that is deep-seated that
path is tread many times just in the course of an hour; the brain learns to use
that path as the fastest way to get the hand moving. However, when something
happens to block that path, such as an injury or stroke that interrupts blood
flow to the brain, the information at point A still needs to find a way to point
B, just on a different path.

It’s a bit like Google Maps [http://www.google.com/maps]. If a traffic accident
causes delays on your normal commute home, Google Maps may direct you to take
different streets in order to get you home earlier.

How Times Have Changed


Studies on neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to change itself are still
very new, having only started 50 years ago. Back then, the idea that the brain
could change in any way was unheard of. It was believed that we were born with
all the brain cells that we would ever have, and the brain was incapable of
regenerating itself. The medical community believed that any damage to the brain
was irreparable.Unfortunately, this school of thought still exists in the world
of neurologic recovery, even though scientific discovery continues to show that
we can indeed make changes and recover from damage to the brain and neural
pathways, even years and decades after the initial injury.

Patients still hear from their doctors and therapists that whatever improvements
they’ve made after a certain time (typically 6 months to a year) is all that
would ever be possible. Patients then feel like there is no reason to continue
with rehabilitation because it is simply “too late.”

Is It Ever “Too Late?”
Admittedly, the brain is best primed for re-wiring shortly after the injury or
stroke, meaning those new pathways are much easier to develop the closer
rehabilitation starts from the actual injury.

However, there are always opportunities for continued recovery. Research done on
our Neofect Smart Glove [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] and other
therapy devices has shown that patients can achieve improvements even 20 years
after the incident! The adult brain is not only capable of changing, but
actually does change continuously throughout life, in response to everything we
do and every experience we have.

What Does This Mean for Me?


Now that you understand the theory and science behind neuroplasticity, here are
the three most important principles of neuroplasticity that affect your
recovery.

 1. It absolutely is possible to see physical improvements years and decades
    after the stroke or brain injury. New brain mapping technology and rehab
    studies continue to provide scientific support to this notion.
    
    
 2. Effective training is mostly about how many repetitions of task-based
    movements a patient performs in any given session; how those repetitions are
    performed matters less. In other words, just do it!
    
    
 3. Studies have shown that patients need far more training repetitions during
    rehab sessions in order to maximize functional improvement after a stroke or
    brain injury. Average practice in clinical studies is about 30 minutes per
    day and recent research (Schneider et al, 2016) demonstrates that 80 minutes
    per day is actually ideal to maximize results.
    
    

You may now be wondering how you can fit in the required amount of repetitions
needed in your day-to-day life. The outpatient therapy that most people can
access through insurance, typically 2-3 visits per week for 30-60 minutes,
simply isn’t enough.

As you may have guessed, the Neofect Home Smart Rehab program
[https://www.neofect.com/us] was designed with repetitions in mind, and making
the best use of the time spent in training activities.

How, you ask? We’ll go over ways to increase repetitions and practice, and how
our products can help, in our next blog post!


If you would like to learn more about Neofect Smart Glove
[https://shop.neofect.com/collections/smart-rehab-solution/products/neofect-smart-glove] 
or any of our stroke rehabilitation [https://www.neofect.com/us/for-home] and
recovery products, please call at (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984] or email 
info@neofect.com.

--

Reference: J Physiother. 2016 Oct;62(4):182-7