No abstract

participants who were unstable (near-falls) in hospital with poor upper limb function (unable to save themselves) were most at risk of falls.

This study indicates a long-term role for rehabilitation services such as: identifying the significance of different types of activities; providing access to support and treatment for debilitating symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness; addressing patients' emotional and behavioural responses to their condition; working with patients' wider social networks and where appropriate, supporting adaptation to a changed way of life.

People with stroke and controls employed similar strategies during the simultaneous performance of simple functional and silent cognitive tasks and maintained postural stability. Increased walk time and decreased cognitive recall were greater for people with stroke and reduced stride length distinguished fallers from non-fallers.

Attention deficits were common among this sample; sustained and divided attention deficits correlated with functional impairments and falls, highlighting that attention deficits might contribute to accident prone behaviour and falling.