Factors affecting activity of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients at home

To examine the effects of housing conditions, health care, age, functional status and other demographic factors on the Activity of Daily Living (ADL), an interview survey of the caregivers of 68 cerebral stroke patients was performed. All patients received care at home for 6-128 (mean 40) months after discharge from hospitals and were 56-91 (mean 79) years old at the time of the survey. During the home care, ADL improved in 28 patients (improved ADL group), and did not change or deteriorated in 26 patients (unchanged/deteriorated ADL group). Three variables, i.e. reconstruction of bathroom (bathing facility and not toilet) in the patient's house after starting the home care, the patient whose main caregiver was his or her spouse, and consultation with a physician at a hospital (not a clinic), were significantly more frequent in the improved ADL group than in the unchanged/deteriorated ADL group. Similarly, the ADL level at the start of home care and age at the time of survey were significantly lower in the improved ADL group. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis indicates that the level of ADL when home care was started (p less than 0.01) and reconstruction of the bathroom (p less than 0.05) were major factors affecting the improvement in ADL.