Most of the patients perceived that they received information, but fewer perceived participation in the planning of medical treatment and needs of care/service/rehabilitation and goal-setting. Professionals need to pay more attention to patients in different subgroups to facilitate their participation in discharge planning. Relevance to clinical practice. To facilitate and increase patients' participation in discharge planning, methods should be implemented for goal-setting and identifying patients' needs. Methods that foster patient participation may improve goal-orientated care, services and rehabilitation after discharge.

The differences found in levels of depression between those with lower functional independence after a stroke compared to those more independent in P-ADL, raise the possibility that attention should be paid to therapeutic rehabilitation for stroke patients to help them recover as much functional independence as possible in order to improve their quality of life and lower their chances of developing PSD.