Evaluation of a Tele-Rehabilitation Service Program

Participants will be identified from Mayo Clinic Division of Brain Rehabilitation's existing clinical practice and recruited either in person or by using a phone script.

Eligible participants will have 2 in-person clinical assessments, one before the intervention and one concluding the protocol. The first clinical assessment will involve introducing and familiarizing the participant with the study procedure, demonstrating and practicing with the system, and obtaining baseline clinical measures. During this first session the participant's technical skills and home equipment capabilities will be assessed and any assistance needed for establishing the technology in their home will be determined and provided. The second clinical assessment will include acquiring post-intervention clinical and outcome measures. Intervention duration will be 3 months. During the study period, each participant will receive online treatment for up to 45 minutes (in order to have net 30 min clinical time) twice per week. During these sessions, the clinician will teach system interaction including integrating feedback, instruct in system intervention activities and assure participant competence in system use, and adjust the level of difficulty in each activity according to the participant's abilities and needs. After the first month of intervention, the participant may be given permission by the therapist to train with the system for no more than 40 minutes per day. Such self-training opportunities are in addition to the twice weekly online sessions with the therapist.

Inclusion

• >12 months after stroke
• Age 21-80 years
• A minimum of 45 degrees of flexion in the affected shoulder
• Active extension of the affected elbow to 150 degrees
• Independent sitting balance
• Able to understand simple instructions
• Lives within a 100 mile radius and able to attend two clinical assessments at Mayo Clinic
• Able to install the tele-rehabilitation software with minimal remote technical support
• Available caregiver as needed who has basic technical understanding of computer operation
• i3 processor based PC; 26" monitor; Windows 7 or 8 operating system; Internet connection of at least 10Mbps.

Exclusion

• Medical conditions that may limit physical activity at the level of low intensity cardio-vascular exercise
• Any contraindication related to the integrity of the musculoskeletal system
• Active malignancy
• Uncontrolled epilepsy
• Global aphasia
• Severe apraxia
• Severe ataxia
• Unilateral spatial neglect
• Chronic pain
• Pregnancy
• Adults lacking capacity