HOME-BASED TELEREHABILITATION FOR COMMUNITY-DWELLING PERSONS WITH STROKE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the feasibility and safety of use of asynchronous telerehabilitation for commu-nity-dwelling persons with stroke in the Philippines during the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and to evaluate the change in participants’ telerehabili-tation perceptions, physical activity, and well-being after a 2-week home-based telerehabilitation programme using a common social media application. Design: Pilot study. Participants: Nineteen ambulatory, non-aphasic adult members of a national university hospital stroke support group in the Philippines. Methods: Pre-participation screening was performed using the Physical Activity Readiness Ques-tionnaire. The participants were medically cleared prior to study enrollment. They then engaged in telerehabilitation by watching original easy-to-follow home exercise videos prepared and posted by the study authors on a private group page on Facebook™ every other day for 2 weeks. Descriptive statistics was performed. Results: All 19 participants (mean age: 54.9 years) completed the programme with no significant adverse events. The majority of subjects improved their telerehabilitation perceptions (based on the Telepractice Questionnaire), physical activity levels (based on the Simple Physical Activity Questionn-aire), and perceived well-being (based on the Happiness Scale). Conclusion: Asynchronous telerehabilitation using a common low-cost social media application is fea-sible and safe for community-dwelling persons with chronic stroke in a lower-middle-income country.