ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the fact that rehabilitation therapy helps stroke patients in the area of activities of daily living(ADL).The ADL evaluation tool used in this study is the modified Barthel Index. The subjects were 71 stroke patients who admitted rehabilitation department of Samsung Medical Center from January to September 1997. All subjects received rehabilitation therapy. The sbuject's ADL were evaluated on admission and again at the time of discharge.The results follows :1. Using the modified Barthel Index, revealed on admission 38.26 points at discharge 68.73 points.2. Severe disability(Barthe1 score 60 or less) were reduced from 84.5% on admission to 29.6% at discharge. Very severe disability(Barthe1 score 40 or less) were also reduced from 66.2% on admission to 12.7% at discharge.3. The degree of change in each area of the modified Barthel Index were measured.There was an overall positive change during the admission period. The greatest change occurred in the category of dressing and transferring. The least change in donning & doffing a brace and wheelchair mobility.The modified Barthel Index used to assess the change in ADL function of stroke patients woulds seem to be very useful method. And there should be a focus on the recovery of ADL function in stroke patients receiving rehabilitation therapy.