Hospital Stay: Stroke

When a loved one has a stroke, it can be a very difficult time for both the patient and those around them providing support. Many stroke victims have aphasia - an inability to speak or express themselves verbally. Hospital Stay: Stroke is an app for patients who’ve had a stroke and are in the hospital. It allows the patient to communicate their basic needs using an iPad or iPhone. The caregiver selects a language and then the patient can use the device to answer yes or no questions, indicate they have pain, indicate they need help rolling over in their bed, indicate they need to go to the bathroom or indicate they need to be cleaned.

The app is very easy to use with large icons that can be pressed. When an icon is pressed, the App speaks the command and highlights the button for 3 seconds. With most patients, a quick explanation of the buttons by the caregiver is all that is needed to allow the stroke survivor to begin communicating their basic needs.