Implementation of a Self- Management Program for People Who Have Experienced Stroke in an Outpatient Day Rehabilitation Setting Heidi Fischer, MS, OTR/L May 5, 2015

Project background / rationale People who experience stroke face barriers to participation and are not fully integrated into their homes, communities and places of work. Incorporation of the voice of people with stroke and the use of peer mentors is also noticeably lacking in stroke rehabilitation care. There is a growing demand for participation-focused interventions that incorporate self-management to enhance performance of meaningful occupations and long-term participation in the community after a stroke

Project Aims This project included development, implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based, stroke-specific occupational therapy self-management program into an outpatient day rehabilitation program. Specifically, a stroke survivor and occupational therapists co-developed and co-facilitated the Improving Participation after Stroke Self- Management (IPASS-DR) Program, which was tailored to fit into the existing occupational therapy group and billed as a reimbursable OT service at the day rehabilitation program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).

Outcomes / evaluation results Implementation of a stroke specific self- management program co-facilitated by an occupational therapist and a stroke survivor into occupational therapy day rehabilitation services was feasible and reimbursable. Overall, participants demonstrated increased participation self-efficacy, increased engagement in community participation, increased executive function skills and increased satisfaction with their occupational performance.

Dissemination method(s) Findings from this project are being used to apply for further grant funding to test the effectiveness of this type of intervention. A manual of the IPASS-DR is available in the UIC Department of Occupational Therapy and at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) Continuing Education is being planned to train occupational therapists and consumers to continue delivering this program across outpatient day rehabiliation settings at RIC