Effectiveness of Home-Based Mirror Therapy on Enhancing the Upper Limb Sensory-Motor Recovery of Elderly Patients Post-Stroke

Abstract

Background: Stroke is a major health disorder in the twenty-one century and it's one of the leading causes of elderly death and disability in the upper limbs sensory-motor functions. Mirror therapy is currently used in rehabilitation for stroke elderly patients in either clinical or home-based settings to accelerate upper limb sensory-motor recovery. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of home-based mirror therapy on enhancing the upper limb sensory-motor recovery of elderly patients post-stroke. Design: A pre to post-test experimental design was utilized Subjects: A purposive sample of 40 elderly patients post-stroke was recruited Setting: The study was conducted in the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Unit of Mansoura University Hospital and at Elders Homes. Tools: An interview schedule sheet and three standardized tools were used Results: The mean age of elderly patients post-stroke in both the intervention and comparison group was 65.70±6.11 and 65.35±7.34 years, respectively with no significant difference (p>0.05). A highly statistically significant difference was found in all parameters of the sensory-motor recovery of the upper limb in the intervention group (p<0.01) at pre, and follow-up phases of intervention. Also, highly statistically significant differences were noted between both groups regarding all parameters (p< 0.01) in post-test I and II. Conclusion: Home-based mirror therapy is a practical, easy, and cheap nursing intervention that can be used as an adjunct therapy with conventional therapy for recovery of the upper limb in elderly patients post-stroke. Recommendation: Mirror therapy should be practiced in either clinical or community settings.