#Lifestyle

#Motivation

#Neofect Solutions

#Rehabilitation

Anything that has not been recorded over time is forgotten. Read this post , if you want to know the best way to record stroke Rehab Result.

The Best Way to Record Stroke Rehab Result: Digital rehab

Rehabilitation and Data Science
What may be the relationship between these two? Rehabilitation has traditionally
relied on medical expert’s knowledge, experience and intuition. The human's
expertise is the most important factor in rehabilitation. However, it is hard to
recognize subtle movement with naked eye and remember concisely every detail of
the patient's movements. And machine can support this part. The combination of
human’s knowledge-based expertise and machine’s data-based discovery
capabilities become the digital rehabilitation.

Importance of Recording
Anything that has not been recorded over time is forgotten. No doubt exists
about the importance of recording in human history. For example, many stories
are listed in the ancient Egyptian papyrus. Amongst them is the papyrus written
by Egyptian scribe Ames, telling us of a story about seeking a solution
regarding a family's camel heritage distribution problem. If there were no
records left, how would we, living in the distant future, know about the tale of
an ancient Egyptian family?



Rehabilitation Exercise and Rehabilitation Data
Information on specific movements is a necessary data and this is needed for
rehabilitation today. The movement of a man is very complex and diverse due to
the numerous joints and muscles. As the patient's movement differs from that of
a normal person, it is significant to figure out patient’s pattern accurately.
Fortunately, with the development of wearable devices and sensors today, it is
now possible to accurately store human motions in real time. Wearable fitness
devices process information that assists training by measuring changes in one’s
body during exercise - such as heart rate, acceleration, body temperature and so
on.



But rehabilitation is a specialized area that varies from general exercises.
Individually tailored therapies are required to accurately identify the pattern
of individual patients and prescribe appropriate training programs to them.
Also, big data, piled up throughout the training process, is needed to figure
out what the patient’s current condition is and what type of training would have
an effect on them. Because there are so many variables involved, machine
learning is utilized to reveal the complex correlations between them. In other
words, our goal is to change the rehabilitation treatment model, which was like
a black-box in the past, to a concrete model that reveals the correlation and
causality based on data science.



Sherlock Holmes, the character in a mystery novel, who demonstrated the
rhetorical technique based on evidence and scientific reasoning in the
nineteenth century, claimed "Data! Data! Data! I cannot make bricks without
mud!"(Arthur Conan Doyle: Adventure of Sherlock Holmes- The Adventure of the
Copper Beeches). Harvard Business Review ranked data scientists as the hottest
profession of the 21st century. However, just as Holmes stated, no detective nor
data scientist can make a correct inference without data. Today, with the
development of GPU-based computing power and the development of open source for
machine learning, the value of meaningful data increased higher than ever.


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]

Digital Rehab

The Best Way to Record Stroke Rehab Results: Digital rehab

Looking for a convenient and effective rehab solution for stroke and hemiplegic patients?  Meet NEOFECT's RAPAEL Smart Glove today.  It is an amazing digital rehabilitation home care solution for stroke patients and patients with hemiplegia.

Home Care Solution for Stroke and Hemiplegic Patients

The Reason Neofect Develop Digital Rehab Solutions for Stroke Patients and
Patients with Hemiplegia


With a warm heart, Neofect [http://www.neofect.com/us/] develops a rehab
training solution that stroke or hemiplegic patients can use anytime and
anywhere. Here is how it started!

Rehab trainings that help stroke patients and patients with hemiplegia reclaim
their daily lives they have lost. An ordinary life one hangs the wash out,
waters the flowerpot, and goes to grocery. Taking a walk down the street while
talking: the life we take for granted. Yet this routine is a series of
challenges for those who have gone through a stroke or hemiplegia.
Inconveniencies in their lives that have come under the name of disabilities.
Stroke and hemiplegic patients strive to move and talk as they used to before,
putting a great deal of time and work.

These patients all want to receive a consistent rehab training after stroke. Yet
not so many of them complete the training due to the geographical reason, the
long period of time, and the medical expenses piling up.

There are people who are spending days and nights to develop a rehab training
for these stroke patients and patients with hemiplegia. They are Neofect, a
healthcare startup specializing in digital rehabilitation solution.



Neofect’s major rehab home care program for stroke and hemiplegic patients is a 
Neofect Smart Glove [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove], which are equipped
with sensors that react to its game application.
Stroke patients and patients with hemiplegia in need of rehab put on these
gloves and move their hands while watching the gaming screen, so they can
improve the mobility and cognition of their hands. By turning the rehab process
into games, it keeps the patients motivated and encourages them to consistently
follow the trainings, making it easier for rehabilitating at home with no
restriction of space.

Furthermore, with active support from National Rehabilitation Center in Korea,
Neofect has also increased the value of its VR-based rehabilitation routine by
discovering the problems and needs at the actual sites where rehab sessions were
going on. National Rehabilitation Center also verified that compared to the
patient group that followed traditional rehabilitation methods only, the patient
group that used Neofect Smart Glove along with traditional rehabilitation shown
greater improvement in their mobilities.



- For the clinical trials, Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function
Test were employed to assess mobility, sense of balance and joint function after
stroke.

Neofect [http://www.neofect.com/us/] is a professional rehab solution company
which started out with concerns for the patients and their families. As he saw
the last moments of his father and his uncle when they were passing away due to
stroke, Neofect’s CEO Ho-young Ban keenly felt the necessity of trainings that
could reduce the financial burden for the patients while continuously improving
the rehab’s effect.

Then he started the business with his co-founder who was studying rehabilitation
engineering at that time. And after their constant investment in the R&D, they
finally developed the rehab solution it has today.


Three goals of Neofect [https://www.neofect.com/us]

 1. Make rehab trainings available anytime and anywhere for everyone.
 2. Foster development of rehabilitation equipment for various body parts.
 3. Expand the home-care rehab market in the global market.

Still unsatisfied, Neofect [https://www.neofect.com/us/for-home] is also putting
lots of effort to develop a solution that makes the rehabilitation of more body
parts easier and to build up a solid foundation for overseas markets. This is
NEOFECT’s genuine concern for the patients and their families.
We aim for the warm touches to reclaim the daily lives the patients have lost.


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]

Hemiplegia

Neofect: The Reason To Develop Digital Rehab Solutions for Stroke Patients and Patients with Hemiplegia

Move early for your stroke therapy and often to increase function.  Learn about effective stroke exercises with Smart Glove and Smart Board packages.

Stroke Therapy and Exercise: Move Early and Often to Increase Function

About Effective Stroke Exercise and Stroke Therapy


Act fast for your Stroke Therapy!

Nearly 75% of stroke survivors have difficulty with hand and arm movement after
stroke and only about 20% experience some functional recovery in the first 6
months. Focus on upper extremity exercise, particularly during inpatient
rehabilitation, is surprisingly low. In our previous post on stroke therapy dose
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/does-therapy-dose-really-matter-for-stroke-recovery/]
, we discussed the importance of greater intensity. When it comes to upper
extremity exercise and therapy, it seems that more is better for functional
outcomes.

Another way to increase stroke therapy dose is to apply an exercise program like 
the GRASP program [http://neurorehab.med.ubc.ca/grasp] that can be easily
self-administered and is flexible enough to work with a range of impairments.
When started early on after stroke in an in-patient setting, four weeks of GRASP
training improved arm and hand function compared to an education program.
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) can increase the dose of functional
training. Modified protocols are available to increase patient tolerance. Talk
to your therapist to see if these exercise and activity approaches would be a
good fit for your needs.

It’s also important to start moving EARLY when the brain is primed to re-wire
and re-organize itself. Neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/] 
is the brain’s ability to find alternative pathways for the area of the brain
that was damaged due to a stroke. If we were able to encourage an intensive
therapeutic program early in stroke or brain injury recovery, using a Smart
Rehabilitation Solution like the Neofect Smart Glove
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] or Smart Board
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-board], it is likely that we could improve
motor function by taking advantage of the brain’s plasticity through repetition.



Post stroke depression is a common after effect of stroke for many individuals.
Depression has been found to have negative effects on functional recovery.
Physical exercise may help in providing a supportive treatment for depression.
It has been found that those that are able to manage post-stroke depression have
greater functional outcomes as well. The take away, exercise can assist in the
management of depression and prolonged depression can keep a stroke survivor
from making the fullest recovery possible.

Move as soon as possible for your stroke therapy when you plan your exercise
program after stroke! Our Smart Glove and Smart Board packages come with
clinical support to allow you to maximize your use of our devices for your
continued stroke therapy and exercise. As you look at different options for your
stroke recovery, our Smart Rehab Solutions may be a good fit for your needs,
call us to discuss your individual rehabilitation goals: (888) 623-8984
[tel:+18886238984].


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

 * The future of stroke rehabilitation: upper limb recovery ACNR (
   https://www.acnr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Page-61.pdf)
 * Winstein, et al. (2016). Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and
   Recovery (https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/STR.0000000000000098)

Repetition

"how often should I be doing my exercises?" This is one of the most frequently asked questions we hear in rehabilitation practice.  Find out whether therapy dose is so important or not for stroke rehabilitation and recovery.

Does Therapy Dose Really Matter for Stroke Rehabilitation & Recovery?

Does therapy dose really matter for stroke recovery?

Does therapy dose really matter for stroke rehabilitation and recovery?
One of the most frequently asked questions that we hear in rehabilitation
practice is “how often should I be doing my exercises”? When it comes to the
dose or frequency of therapy for gait retraining, upper extremity function and
motor relearning in general, how much is enough in terms of stroke
rehabilitation and recovery?

The more we learn about the brain and neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/]
, the more specific we can be when it comes to understanding how much therapy
for stroke rehabilitation and recovery is needed to result in functional
improvement.

Is consistency more effective, for example, a more regular routine of therapy
activities 5-7 days per week or fewer days per week for longer sessions? How
many more repetitions do individuals need to do per session in order to see the
improvements that will allow them to use their hand and arm more effectively?

From recent research, we understand that we need to be doing about 240% more
time with task-based therapy exercises than the “norm”. A standard session is
typically about 25 minutes and based on research looking at outcomes of the same
treatment for different lengths of time, it is recommended that an individual
spends 60 minutes or more in therapy to see desired functional outcomes
(Schneider et al, 2016).



Virtual reality solutions like the Neofect Smart Glove
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] for hand rehabilitation and Neofect
Smart Board [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-board] for upper limb
rehabilitation training, allow for a high intensity, high repetition program in
a reasonable amount of time. A study by Stanford Medical Center, which is still
on its way to being published, showed that it was more beneficial to perform the
Smart Glove program consistently daily or at least 5 days per week versus doing
longer sessions less frequently. Consistency AND dosage are both important for
lasting change to take place in an individual’s range of motion, coordination
and timing.



> To meet the target amount of dosage, you have to be engaged in what you’re
doing, or you won’t stick with it. Look at what some of our Smart Glove and
Smart Board users had to say about how their rehabilitation program was engaging
in order to increase their dosage of therapy:

Tim G. - Stroke


> “I couldn’t depend on the therapy I had two hours a week to continue my
recovery; I needed to do more, which is where the Smart Glove came in. The Smart
Glove gives you a smart way to efficiently exercise. If you’re able to use it
regularly you’ll do a lot of good for yourself.”

Chris J.- TBI


> Before the Smart Glove, my coordination was really bad. I’ve improved
tremendously. Initially I couldn’t lift or break an egg or cut my meat and now I
have the coordination to be safe doing that. It made therapy fun and
motivating!”

Kay K.- Stroke


> “...after using the Smart Board for a month, I find myself using my affected arm
almost automatically for small tasks like turning on lights or making the bed.
The way that the training is structured, I know that I can work hard for 3
minutes or 5 minutes and then move on to a new game, so it is easy to stay
motivated.”


Call us at (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984] to learn more the Neofect Smart
Rehabilitation Solutions today and increase the dosage of your therapy program
to improve your results.


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]

Stroke Recovery

Does Therapy Dose Really Matter For Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery?

By combining hardware to aid the body movements and software to design appropriate brain therapy program, patients can do hand rehab training continuously.

How Stroke Patients Can Hand Rehab By Playing Games At Home



How Stroke Patients can Do Hand Rehab at Home
After testing the Neofect Smart Glove solution in hospitals around the world and
validating its effectiveness, Neofect [https://www.neofect.com/us] has offered
their device for post-stroke rehabilitation at home.

Stroke patients often experience long term disability, which is more due to
neuro damage than to muscle weakness. By combining hardware to aid the body
movements and software to design appropriate brain therapy program, physicians
can greatly improve the rehab process.

Neofect Smart Glove [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] is a biofeedback
system which includes a glove-like device with built-in sensors to measure hand,
wrist and finger movements, and a software program to create training games.
There are more than 40 games currently available.



The software has an artificial intelligence component that automatically adjusts
the range of motion and difficulty level. This ensures the patient continues to
stay challenged during the game, at the same time, creating a positive,
encouraging environment. The system monitors the performance data over time and
generates progress reports.

Neofect has been successfully used by a number of hospitals. After getting
positive feedback from medical professionals, the device is now available to
individuals. Stroke victims can buy or rent and work on regaining their hand
mobility at their own pace without leaving their homes.

The first participants of the program have been excessively satisfied with the
results:

> "I really believe in this product. The games keep my mind working, It is great
with the hand, but in a cognitive level, I have come a long way and can make
full sentences now." (Carol S., Va.)


> "Most companies sell you a product and then want nothing to do with you. Neofect
has developed a product that truly helps with rehabilitation, but more than
that, they are a true partner in the process. They are constantly releasing new
games, they check in on progress and are by our side helping us get to the next
stage. We are so very grateful to have found this company and their amazing
product." (Melia W., Wash.)


Neofect [https://www.neofect.com/us] have introduced a special, more powerful
stroke home exercise programs of the Neofect solution since 2017.

In the U.S., every 40 seconds someone is having a stroke. It is the leading
cause of disability, costing the national economy $34 billion and a victim’s
family – an average $17,081 annually.


The majority of patients has never completes their rehabilitation therapy for
one or a combination of three reasons:

 1. Difficulty to visit a doctor’s office on a regular basis.
 2. The lack of noticeable improvement
 3. High cost

The Neofect solution [https://www.neofect.com/us] is designed to solve each of
these problems by making the rehab program engaging, affordable and available
for patients at the convenience of their home.



To learn more about Neofect or get a 7-day free trial, visit the company’s
website www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us] or call to our office at 
(888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984].


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]

Hand Rehabilitation Training

How Stroke Patients Can Do Hand Rehabilitation Training by Playing Games at Home

Stroke Hand Rehab By Playing Games

Consider functional things that you can do with your affected side. Get out of the habit of moving your affected side with your "good" or non-affected side.

4 Tips for Combating Hemiplegia Using the Power of the Brain

Neuroplasticity 2 of 2

With repetition as one of the main keys to improving movement, it’s important to 
consider creative ways to incorporate repetition into your daily rehabilitation
routine. Using virtual reality rehab devices such as the Neofect Smart Glove
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] and Neofect Smart Board
[https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-board] can increase repetition 10x (250-300
repetitions) in the same amount of time as an outpatient therapy session (32
repetitions).



Here are four other ways that you can work on incorporating more repetition into
your daily rehabilitation routine:
 1. Consider functional things that you can do with your affected side. Even if
    it seems insignificant, something like using your affected side to turn on
    and off a light switch or open the fridge every time you do it, reinforces
    voluntary repetition. This idea of “forced-use” helps to reorganize the
    brain and recreate pathways to improve motor control. Additional repetition
    of functional movement can be added to your routine at home by using the
    Neofect Smart Glove or Smart Board. Virtual reality solutions like the 
    Neofect Smart Rehab devices [https://www.neofect.com/us] can encourage 10x
    more repetitions than traditional therapy sessions alone.
    
    
 2. Get out of the habit of moving your affected side with your “good” or
    non-affected side. For repositioning needs, try to move the side affected by
    the stroke on its own first before jumping in to “help”. It’s really easy to
    fall into “learned non-use” where your brain starts to forget about your
    affected side based on avoiding it as part of your daily routine. Force it
    to do as much active work as you can on a daily basis.
    
    



 3. Visualization has been proven to be an effective technique for motor
    improvement, even if you don’t have the functional movement to do the task
    itself. Visualization has long been used by high level athletes as a tactic
    for working toward maximizing their performance. For individuals that have
    had strokes, visualization of a particular activity such as raising the arm
    or leg, sends blood flow to the area of the brain responsible for that
    motion, activating that area.
    
    
 4. Mirror box therapy can also be effective in using the mirror neurons of the
    brain to trick the brain into thinking that the affected side is moving in a
    normal manner. In a review of studies on mirror therapy compared to other
    interventions, mirror therapy was shown to have a significant effect on
    motor function as well as pain and visual neglect.
    
    


*Neofect Home Inquiry:
-www.neofect.com [https://www.neofect.com/us]
-Phone: (888) 623-8984 [tel:+18886238984]

Neuroplasticity

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

Why Neuroplasticity Matters to Post Stroke Rehabilitation

Why Neuroplasticity Matters to Rehab

While many physical therapists turn to virtual care, how can you be sure if telerehab is right for you? Find out here if you should join the telerehab train.

Is Post-Stroke Telerehab For Me? What You Need to Know

COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of daily life. On the other hand, it has
accelerated the way in which you are able to access healthcare services. Now,
thanks to technology, you can connect to healthcare specialists with a few
clicks of a mouse. 

Telerehabilitation for post-stroke care has been around for over a decade.
Lately, it has become more mainstream, especially after the pandemic began. It
is a way to connect with your physical therapists to improve upper arm function,
strength, balance, and walking after a stroke. 

Many research studies have supported the use of post-stroke telerehabilitation
for physical therapy [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21097560/]. But, you still
may have questions about the pros and cons of virtual care. Below you will find
helpful information about whether telerehab is right for you. 


Telerehab makes physical therapy (PT) treatment possible through video or audio
technology.Benefits of telerehabilitation for stroke survivors
Telerehabilitation, or telerehab, is the delivery of rehabilitation services
through video or audio format. It also allows for easy access to experts in
post-stroke care without leaving the comfort of home. 

Other benefits of post-stroke telerehabilitation include: 

 * Real time health monitoring
 * The ability to share information with caregivers
 * Providing immediate feedback on exercise technique

Before the pandemic, post-stroke telerehab was used for people who could not
easily travel to appointments. Now, stroke survivors with COVID-19, who are
asymptomatic or have mild symptoms in self-quarantine, can see providers without
gaps in treatment. 

Research studies have found post-stroke telerehab to be equally effective as
face-to-face care.
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1052305715005005] Simply
put, post-stroke telerehab can still help you reach meaningful outcomes, like
arm function, independence with walking, and balance, like face-to-face rehab. 


Instead of clinic equipment, a telerehab session may make use of things
available in your home environment.Drawbacks to telerehabilitation
Unfortunately, there are a few barriers to post-stroke telerehab.

There is always the possibility of delays in WiFi connectivity or poor video
quality. Depending on where you live, legal barriers
[https://www.apaservices.org/practice/clinic/covid-19-telehealth-state-summary#indiana] 
may affect the timing and delivery of your care. 

Several research studies have looked at the cost of post-stroke telerehab in
comparison to face-to-face visits. The general consensus is that there is not a
significant cost difference
[http://nebula.wsimg.com/5ffa0b7e108a03a8e6f6f658b515f0fb?AccessKeyId=369F185A9EFA841F6B6A&disposition=0&alloworigin=1] 
between the two. 

Despite this, insurance companies have been slow to offer coverage of telerehab
visits. Be sure to check with your insurance provider before setting up virtual
appointments . This will ensure that you are not slapped with an enormous bill
at the end of your care.

Determining whether telerehab is right for you depends on a few factors,
including your comfort with technology and the type of interaction that you
prefer with your therapists. If you like face-to-face interaction, getting out
of the house, and personal contact, then telerehab may not be the best option
for you. 


A telerehab PT will guide you through session activities and monitor your
performance over live video.


Is post-stroke telerehab going to be the new norm?
In short, yes. 

If this year has taught us one thing, it is that virtual medical and
rehabilitation appointments are here to stay. Once the outbreak is over, expect
to see telerehab practices continue as more clinicians, and insurance companies
get on board.



The reality of telerehabilitation
Telerehabilitation has become an effective way to deliver post-stroke
rehabilitation without increasing your risk of getting infected with COVID-19. 

It allows physical therapists and other rehabilitation experts to deliver
treatments that are important to you. Virtual services also improve access for
stroke survivors who live in rural areas with limited local resources. 

Telerehab will be more successful once the issues with software and legal
concerns are resolved. Despite its drawbacks, post-stroke telerehab can still be
a useful tool because it allows for access to expert care as you continue to
work towards your mobility goals. Moving forward, you can expect telerehab to
become the new standard for post-stroke care. 




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Home rehab is easy and effective with Neofect’s Smart Rehabilitation Solutions
for stroke! Check out our cutting-edge home exercise products here
[https://www.neofect.com/us/for-home].

Is Post-Stroke Telerehab for Me? What You Need to Know

It is important to maintain healthy habits to prevent a future stroke. So today, I introduce 5 apps that can help you manage your stroke continuously.

Best 5 Apps for Stroke Survivors to recover faster

Did you find this article while searching for advice for stroke survivors to
make the most out of their recovery? I'll share some information that I hope
will be helpful.

As you know, it is important to maintain healthy habits to prevent a future
stroke. Even though many people know the importance of stroke management, they
may feel they don’t know how to undertake the process. So today, I'm going to
introduce 5 apps that can help you manage your stroke continuously.


1. Calm - Meditation App

After a stroke, you may experience sudden emotional changes or sleep poorly.
Many experts say that we should try to accept and control the emotional changes,
and make adjustments to our lifestyle and environment to achieve better sleep.
One of the best ways to control emotional change is to meditate. Meditation
allows you to control anxiety and refocus your energy.

Calm is a top-performing app for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation. This app has
over 50 million downloads and over 700,000 5-star reviews. It was also honored
to be an Apple BEST OF 2018 award winner, Apple's App of the Year 2017, Google
Play Editor's Choice 2018, and was named by the Center for Humane Technology as
"the world's happiest app".

The main functions of Calm:

 * Meditate (Learn the life-changing skill of meditation)
 * Sleep (Get more restful sleep and wake up feeling refreshed)
 * Music (Exclusive music to help you focus, relax, and sleep)
   
 * Calm Price: Free, or a paid premium subscription of $14.99/month,
   $69.99/year, or $399.99/lifetime.
 * Download link:
   - iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/calm/id571800810
   - Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.calm.android





2. Neofect Connect

There's a lot to take care of after a stroke, but are you at a loss where to
start? Neofect takes the guesswork out of stroke recovery and management with
Neofect Connect, a lifestyle app for stroke survivors. Neofect Connect is a
comprehensive wellness and stroke recovery program, incorporating a decade of
Neofect’s rehabilitation expertise and extensive research on health and
wellness.

Our engaging and life-changing materials are based on rehabilitation strategies
that facilitate neuroplasticity, helping you to make brain changes that will
allow you to return to your routines and get your life back on track.


- Everything You Need to Know Right Here

Get easy-to-read daily articles and educational material on stroke rehab,
behavioral health, lifestyle, nutrition, mindfulness and more, written by
experts.

- Lasting Behavioral Changes

Neofect Connect explains the how and why behind stroke recovery tips, making it
easy and compelling to adopt healthy habits into your lifestyle.


- Comprehensive Video Exercises

Maximize your recovery with daily video tutorials and professional exercise
demonstrations.

Exercise content is tailored to your capabilities to help you stay focused,
consistent, and successful.


 * Neofect Connect Price: Free, or VIP subscription of $19.99/monthly plan,
   $49.99/3 month plan, $69.99/6 month plan, $99.99/Annual Plan
   
   - Basic rehab content (Limited articles, exercises, and videos)
   - Daily missions
   - Upgrade to the VIP Plan to Jump-Start Recovery


Neofect Connect offers a free plan including a limited selection of educational
content. Subscribers can maximize their experience with the VIP plan, providing
unlimited reading and video content, customized daily missions, and regular
evaluations and progress reports.

 * Download link:
   - iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/neofect-connect/id1473561369
   - Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neofect.connect

A holistic wellness app for stroke survivors, Neofect Connect


3. Medisafe

Medisafe is a great medication reminder app.

With Medisafe, you get personalized reminders for each of your medications and
vital drug interaction warnings. You can stay connected to your caregivers
through real-time missed medication alerts.

The main features:

 1. Med and Refill Reminders: Be notified when your prescriptions are running
    low so you are never without your meds.
 2. Drug Interaction Warnings: Get an alert whenever any of your prescribed
    medications should not be taken together (US only).

 * Price: Free or paid premium plan for $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year.
 * Download link:
   - iOS: 
   https://apps.apple.com/us/app/medisafe-medication-management/id57391694
   [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/medisafe-medication-management/id573916946]
   - Android: 
   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medisafe.android.client



4. Cozi

It is also important to maintain a strong social network with family and friends
after stroke. It's even better if your social network is supportive of your
recovery journey and helps you stay on task during your daily routine!

Cozi is the must-have organizer for families. It helps coordinate and
communicate everyone’s schedules and activities, track grocery lists, manage to
do lists, plan ahead for dinner, and keep the whole family on the same page.


 * Price:  Free
 * Download link:
   - iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cozi-family-organizer/id407108860
   - Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cozi.androidfree




5. Peak

As a stroke survivor, you are understandably focused on improving the quality of
your daily life.  Another important part of any recovery program is brain
training to restore and enhance cognitive function. To boost your thinking
skills, try the brain training workouts offered in the popular Peak app. 

The Peak app is a great choice to challenge your brain. You can push your
cognitive skills, train hard, and make great use of your time with fun,
stimulating games and workouts. The Peak app was honored Best of the year and
Editor’s Choice in both AppStore and GooglePlay.

The games are designed to push you hard with short, intense workouts designed
around your life. You can challenge the skills that matter to you most with
games that test your focus, memory, problem solving, reaction time and more.

Meet Coach, your personal trainer in Peak. The coach will challenge you with new
workouts, track your progress, and show you where and how you can improve,
keeping you motivated and pushing you further.

 * Price: Free or paid Premium plan $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year
 * Download link:
   - iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/peak-brain-training/id806223188
   - Android: 
   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brainbow.peak.app
   


So far, we've introduced 5 apps that are useful to stroke survivors. As
consistent rehabilitation is important for stroke recovery, I encourage you to
use the apps above consistently to help boost your stroke recovery. This
information is intended for informational purposes, so we advise readers to
refer to each website for more information.

We’ll explain what’s important in stroke rehabilitation and how long it takes to recover after a stroke to recover quickly. Also, You can see what skills are expected to improve during stroke rehabilitation.

Stroke Recovery: How to recover after stroke quickly

Many stroke survivors question whether stroke recovery is possible. At the same
time, they want to know how they can recover quickly after a stroke. Although
stroke recovery looks different for everyone, there are still fundamental things
you should know for your faster stroke recovery.

In this post, we’ll explain what’s important in stroke rehabilitation and how
long it takes to recover after a stroke to recover quickly. Also, You can see
what skills are expected to improve during stroke rehabilitation.



Table of contents

 * What’s important to recover after a stroke?
 * What can a patient expect to see during stroke rehabilitation?
 * Stroke Therapy and Rehabilitation Activities
 * Stroke Recovery Timeline
 * Is it possible to stroke recovery at home?
 * Now, can I fully and quickly recover after a stroke?





 What's important to recover after a stroke?
Stroke recovery is different for every person. After someone survives after a
stroke, their recovery starts that day and can continue for several years. The
severity of the stroke impacts how a person’s recovery will go.

 1. Slow and Unpredictable
    Recovery after stroke [https://www.neofect.com/us/smart-glove] starts with
    making goals with your physical, social, and emotional aspects of your life.
    You will make changes to your life to prevent additional strokes along with
    focusing on life long recovery. Patients and caregivers will have to
    understand that the recovery is slow and unpredictable. No one can really
    map out how a person will truly recover from a stroke because the way our
    brain heals is so complex. Medical professionals such as doctors, nurses,
    and therapists can make only an educated guess of how a person will recover
    based on the location and severity of the stroke.
 2. Need Support from Family and Friends
    Support from family and friends is a huge component during the recovery
    process. They give the person a sense of belonging to the world and purpose
    to life they had prior to the stroke. Patients who are recovering from a
    stroke need to feel connected more than ever to help increase the motivation
    to push through the hardest moments of their rehabilitation process. Family
    involvement also allows for better education and training to happen so the
    patient can return home when medically appropriate. Doctors, nurses, and
    therapists can train the family/caregivers in how to best care for the
    patient so they can return to their home environment safely.
 3. Time and Intensity
    Stroke rehab [https://www.neofect.com/us/for-home] will help increase
    recovery allowing a person to get back to living a full life. Rehabilitation
    focuses on high intensity repetitions which drive the key term of
    neuroplasticity which doctors and therapists focus on. Through rehab you’ll
    focus on learning new skills or relearning old skills. The biggest skills
    that are important to relearn after a stroke are motor skill learning,
    mobility skills, cognitive training and activities of daily living.
    Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapists focus on intensity exercises
    that will set a person up for success in relearning these important skills.
    A patient will start experiencing stroke rehabilitation as soon as they
    become medically stable in the hospital to increase the recovery process.
    The biggest factors for people in the recovery process are time and
    intensity.

Does a brain really recover after a stroke?
You may have heard that the brain can be recovered after a stroke. Do you know
how it happens? It’s because of brain neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/]
. Although it is impossible to fully reverse the damage, current research has
shown that the brain is capable of relearning lost skills even years after a
stroke.

The word Neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/] 
is a fancy way of saying that the brain (neuro) can change (plasticity). After a
stroke, neuroplasticity can help the brain to work around the damaged areas in
order to regenerate, re-establish, and rearrange the neural connections related
to function.

In order to retrain the brain after a stroke, it is important to strengthen the
neural pathways that control all of these behaviors and movements by doing 
repetitive exercises
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-stroke-exercises]. The
more repetitive exercises and movements one does, the stronger the pathways in
the brain will become. This is called neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/]
.


 What can a patient expect to see during stroke rehabilitation?
Every stroke is different and will affect people differently based on their
severity and which part of the brain that stroke affects. Here are some examples
of the common changes after stroke.


Weakness or paralysis to the one side of the body

The stroke may cause a weakness or paralysis on your body. You should focus on
regaining these weakened muscles, so you can get back to your daily activities
independently.

Cognitive Skills

The brain controls critical thinking, judgment, reasoning abilities, and
judgment, therefore, having a stroke on the left side of the brain can cause
someone to have varying levels of cognitive impairments.

It’s important to keep working to improve these cognitive skills because it’s
highly related to your safety. Occupational therapists or speech and language
therapists can help you regain these abilities.

Speech and Languages Skills

Since the brain controls language skills, many people who have suffered from a
left-sided stroke may have difficulties in speaking or understanding language.
And it is called Aphasia.

Speech and language therapists can help you learn how to speak coherently and
clearly. They may teach you other communication ways if your condition is
severe.

Sensory Skills

Stroke can affect a part of your body’s ability to feel sensory inputs. You may
have difficulties feeling the heat, cold, or pressure if your sensory ability is
damaged. Therapists can work with you to help your body adjust to the change.

Swallowing Difficulties

The left side of the brain controls all oral functions which include chewing and
swallowing. After a left-sided stroke one may have trouble chewing and
swallowing. One may be put on a feeding tube until they are able to relearn how
to swallow or chew. Therapists can work with you to help your swallowing ability
to regain.

Visual impairments

After having a stroke on the left side of the brain it is common for someone to
suffer from visual impairments in the right eye. It is common for someone to
lose half of their visual field in their right eye which is called hemianopia.
One may also present with neglect to the right side of the body which is called
visuospatial neglect.

The main goal of stroke rehabilitation is to improve or relearn these weakened
skills after suffering a stroke. You can be independent and back to your living
life by improving or restoring your weakened or lost skills.




 Stroke Therapy and Rhabilitation Activities
During the therapy process you can expect to see things involving physical and
technology-assisted physical activities.

Physical Activities
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-stroke-exercises] may
include but not limited to:

 * Motor-Skill Exercises that focus on improving muscle strength and
   conditioning. An example of this would be a speech therapist doing swallowing
   exercises to increase a patient's ability to eat.
 * Mobility Training that teaches a patient to relearn how to walk again along
   with learning to use mobility aids such as a cane, walker, wheelchair or
   ankle/knee braces. After having a stroke a patient may experience drop foot
   and need an ankle foot orthosis to help correct the deficit.
 * Constraint-Induced Therapy which takes the unaffected limb and restrains it
   while you practice functional movements with your affected limb. This type of
   therapy helps force a patient to use their affected limb instead of
   forgetting about it.
 * Range of Motion Therapy provides exercises and treatments to help address
   increase muscle tone and spasticity to increase functional range of motion.
   Examples that patients may see are hemi slides for the upper extremity using
   a towel/sheet on a table top.




Technology-Assisted Therapy include but not limited to:

 * Functional Electrical Stimulation can help stimulate weak muscles to promote
   a contraction which will help with muscle re-education.
 * Robotic Technology will help impaired limbs perform repetitive motions
   helping increase muscle re-education for functional gains.
 * Wireless Technology helps monitor post stroke activity to allow a patient to
   see the functional movement they have.
 * Virtual Reality Technology uses video games and other computer based
   activities that allow patients to interact with simulated or real time
   activities within their environment.


 Stroke Recovery Timeline
 1. Within 3 hours
    If you suffer a stroke, it is very important to receive medical attention as
    soon as you exhibit any warning signs as each second is crucial for
    survival. Stroke is a severe medical emergency and if a person does not
    receive medical attention right away they are at greater risk for permanent
    brain damage or death.
    Tissue Plasminogen Activator(tPA) can help decrease the amount of damage
    done after sustaining a stroke but can only be administered within 3 hours
    of showing warning signs. Therefore it is very important to get help as
    quickly as you can in order to allow for the most successful recovery!
    
 2. First Few Weeks After a Stroke
    The typical length of a hospital stay after a stroke is five to seven days.
    During this time, the stroke care team will evaluate the effects of the
    stroke, which will determine the rehabilitation plan.
    The first five to six weeks of stroke recovery are the most intensive.
    Intense physical and occupational therapy will be recommended five or six
    days per week. During this time patients will go through inpatient or
    outpatient therapy, contingent on their condition and accessibility to a
    rehabilitation center. There may also be more options like receiving in-home
    physical and occupational therapy treatment.
    
 3. Three Months
    According to the Johns Hopkins stroke rehabilitation specialist April Pruski
    , The first three months of recovery are when a patient will see the most
    improvement, and gains may happen rapidly over time.  During this time, most
    patients will enter and complete an inpatient rehab program and improve
    their abilities through outpatient therapy sessions.
    
 4. Six Months
    It’s still important to do continuous and repetitive stroke rehabilitation
    within 6 months although the stroke survivor’s skill and ability is not
    fully recovered in 3 months. A stroke survivor’s ability to improve during
    this period relies on their individual effort and the support of their
    friends, family, and doctors. A coordinated effort among specialists can
    facilitate further progress months and years down the line. While
    improvement may take longer for some patients, there’s still hope for small
    advances.Two Years
    Some stroke survivors who have Aphasia after suffering a stroke can take up
    to two years to fully regain their speaking ability.  (25 to 40 percent)
    

 Is it possible to stroke recovery at home?
Now, you may wonder if you can do your stroke recovery at home. Because there
are some restrictions like time or money to start every therapies and exercises
for your faster stroke recovery.

You’ll probably start your stroke rehabilitation in the hospital, but you
already know that stroke recovery is a long-term journey. So you should find
another option for your better living life. And it would be great if you can
start your stroke recovery at home.

Here are some options you can choose before you leave the hospital to determine
the best rehabilitation setting. The options include:

 1. Outpatient units. Some of the hospitals or clinics offer a stroke rehab
    outpatient program. You may spend a few hours at the facility a couple of
    days a week for your stroke recovery.
 2. Skilled nursing facilities. You may want to stay at nursing facilities for
    intense therapy options. But please check out if the facility specializes in
    stroke rehabilitation before you select.
 3. Stroke Recovery at-home programs. Doing your stroke recovery at home makes
    your living life with greater flexibility than other options. You can be
    stable in your home and do your rehab repetitively without any place
    movements. Some home-based therapy spends less than outpatients units or
    skilled nursing facilities.

The rehabilitation after a stroke begins after doctor’s assessment and
treatments in patient’s conditions. You should choose which options fits to
their condition and design the stroke rehab journey to help the survivor reclaim
their independence and return their previous daily life as soon as possible.

 Now, can I fully and quickly recover after a stroke?
According to the National Stroke Association, 10 percent of people who have a
stroke recover almost completely, with 25 percent recovering with minor
impairments. Another 40 percent experience moderate to severe impairments that
require special care. And 10 percent require long-term care in a nursing home or
other facility. This means that there are differences based on their severity
and treatment. But you can make your stroke recovery faster and as much as
possible. As you saw, there is a concept called neuroplasticity
[https://www.neofect.com/us/blog/why-neuroplasticity-matters-to-post-stroke-rehabilitation/]
!

These are just a few things a patient may experience during their rehabilitation
process. The best advice for a person who has survived a stroke is to seek high
intensity therapy as quickly as possible. This will increase the chances of
living life to the fullest. As you come to understand the best options for you
or a loved one’s rehab journey, don’t miss the opportunity to check out Neofect
[https://www.neofect.com/us/] Home Rehab Solutions. Neofect Home Rehab products
[https://shop.neofect.com/] are clinically proven to improve hand and arm
functionality at home with fun and engaging activities.

To learn more, (888) 623-8984 or email us at info@neofect.com