Does an enriched environment affect patient activity levels at the Oxfordshire Stroke Rehabilitation Unit?

Abstract

Purpose: Despite much innovation in stroke care over the past 10 years, patients remain inactive and alone, even in rehabilitation settings. Increased activity levels post stroke can improve functional outcomes, independence, and have a positive impact on quality of life. In recent years the concept of enriched environments gained traction as a potential method to increase activity levels without significant change in services resources or staffing. An enriched environment is simply one which promotes physical, cognitive and social activity through an enabling ethos and accessibility to relevant resources. The evidence base is rooted in animal models, which have shown increased potential for neuroplasticity in rats who, post-stroke, are confined in an enriched environment compared to those in an impoverished environment. It is thought there is potential for this theory to be extrapolated to human populations with preliminary positive findings coming from researchers in Australia. The aim of this project was to implement an enriched environment at the Oxfordshire Stroke Rehabilitation Unit, measure its impact on patient activity levels and evaluate the feasibility of the project.