A MAN has praised the ‘brilliant’ team who helped him recover from a stroke in his own home.


Tom Johns, from Poundbury, is one of over 30 patients to have benefited from a new project providing early supported discharge for those who have suffered from a stroke.


The 79-year-old suffered the stroke in February and spent nine weeks at Dorset County Hospital.


He said he was ‘pleasantly surprised’ to learn that he was then to be released and continue to receive rehabilitation in his own home as part of the new service provided by Dorset HealthCare.


Tom received regular visits from the Dorchester community rehab team and has been making rapid strides in his recovery.


He said: “They released me under this early release system and I have been very fortunate to have these brilliant young ladies looking after me. With their help and encouragement I can do lots of things I couldn’t do before.”


A keen walker, Tom set himself goals like being able to walk around the block and, with the help of the community rehab team, he achieved his targets.


Wife Val said it had made a massive difference for Tom to be able to receive his rehabilitation in his own home.


She said: “It’s been fantastic. It helps you get into a normal way of life again, which you have got to do.


“Also being in his home environment they can tailor everything for that.”


Physiotherapist Sandra Chaplin was part of the team from the Dorchester rehab team that visited Tom up to four times a day when he was first discharged from hospital.


She said: “Tom did most of the hard work. He set himself goals that he wanted to achieve like getting outside and he pretty much achieved that straight away.


“He hasn’t let anything get in his way. Tom is one of the most determined people we have come across.”


Without the community rehab input Tom said he believed he would have had to remain in hospital for several more weeks.


Val added: “It’s been brilliant for us and you can see the benefits.”

Support scheme to be extended

THE scheme to provide early supported discharge for patients who have suffered mild to moderate strokes is to be extended.

Having initially been run as a six-month pilot project from February, it has now been guaranteed until April next year after proving an immense success.


The scheme uses the community teams across the area and has provided physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy to 31 patients in Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Wareham and Blandford.


Community services manager for West Dorset Helen Persey said: “To date the results and feedback we have had has been outstanding.


“The aim is to enable stroke survivors to come out of hospital as soon as they are medically stable and be able to receive the quantity and quality of input in their own homes that they would have received if they stay in hospital.


“What is most important is people being able to have rehab in their own homes. It makes a big difference and allows spouses or carers to help in the process.”