Stroke
Stroke research at MRINZ has focussed on ethnic disparities in outcome after stroke and the Take Charge intervention, a ‘talking therapy’ which aims to facilitate self-rehabilitation after stroke. Research over 20 years at MRINZ has helped develop and test this intervention, and two large randomised controlled trials have demonstrated effectiveness in people with stroke.
The Taking Charge After Stroke (TaCAS) trial was a landmark randomised controlled trial with 400 participants which took place across 7 sites in New Zealand. The Take Charge intervention delivered early in the community phase of stroke rehabilitation improved health-related quality of life, independence and advanced activities of daily living, 12 months after stroke. The Māori and Pacific Stroke Study (MaPSS) had 172 participants and demonstrated that the Take Charge intervention delivered early in the community phase of stroke rehabilitation for Māori and Pacific people, improved health-related quality of life and independence and reduced carer stress at 12 months after stroke.
We are working with researchers in different countries exploring ways of using Take Charge for people with different medical conditions and in various rehabilitation settings, such as for people with COPD undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation. Please get in touch if you want to share ideas.
'Sam's Gift' is a short novel by Dr McNaughton about how one person's life is transformed after stroke with help from Take Charge. Proceeds from the book will support further Take Charge research.
Booklet and training manual
Contents: TaCAS training manual (PDF), TaCAS study booklet (PDF + Word doc)
There is no charge to use the intervention. If you translate the booklet into another language, or modify the booklet for people with other medical conditions, please acknowledge the original source and send a copy to [email protected] for us to post here for other people to use.
Please address any questions regarding use of the intervention to Dr Harry McNaughton at [email protected]
Also available in Estonian and Russian thanks to Hedvig Soone, who investigated Take Charge for her Master's thesis using qualitative methods to show that Take Charge was acceptable to people still in hospital after stroke in Estonia.
The Take Charge booklet has also been modified for people with medical conditions other than stroke, click here to download.
Connect
This group is particularly for people who have started to use Take Charge (or want to start doing so), and wish to share their experience, ask questions and get responses from members of the TaCAS study group including some of our experienced facilitators.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TakeChargeRehab
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/213946813389620
Presentations
Presentation for healthcare professionals: https://youtu.be/yGRgH2b9q-E
Presentation for people with stroke:
A podcast where Dr Vivian Fu discusses the TaCAS results with Dr Julie Bernhardt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxLnSXg7lCE
A podcast where Dr Harry McNaughton discusses the TaCAS study with Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins following publication in the International Journal of Stroke https://bit.ly/2C3fOz4
Recent News
Publications
Key team members
