While the findings support a growing consensus that participation in leisure activities might significantly contribute to prevention of dementia, it also identifies major hindrances to progress. Important limitations detected include a lack of theoretical underpinnings, and little consensus and standardisation in the measured key variables. The study reinforces the critical need to overcome these limitations to enable health care professionals (e.g. occupational therapists) to make evidence-based recommendations for increased participation in activities as a means of promoting health and preventing cognitive decline.

The results emphasize the importance of physical function, mood state and access to caregiving services as predictors of participation in everyday life after stroke. Whilst there are two dimensions of participation in this Persian sample of persons with stroke, the factors explaining participation seem to be the same across the cultures.

No abstract

Enabling participation after stroke within a client-centred paradigm in this socio-cultural context requires consideration of the essential meaning of this concept as characterized by the dynamic process between the characteristics of "doing", "identity", and "living life". The study highlights how the provision of efficient rehabilitation services in this Eastern context requires attention to both "doing" and to "identity" in rehabilitation interventions, in order to enable individuals to adapt to their new lives after stroke and to "live their lives".

Perceived difficulty in using everyday technology is significantly increased among persons with acquired brain injury with severe to moderate disability compared with controls. Rehabilitation services should consider the use of everyday technology in order to increase participation in everyday activities after acquired brain injury.