When a patient is no longer acutely ill after a stroke, the healthcare staff focuses on maximizing the patient's functional abilities.

This is most often done in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital or in a special area of a general hospital. Rehabilitation can also take place at a nursing facility.

The rehabilitation process can include some or all of the following:

• speech therapy to relearn talking and swallowing
• occupational therapy to regain dexterity in the arms and hands
• physical therapy to improve strength and walking
• family education to orient them in caring for their loved one at home and the challenges they will face.

The goal is for the patient to resume as many, if not all, of their pre-stroke activities and functions. Since a stroke involves the permanent loss of brain cells, a total return to the patient's pre-stroke status is unfortunately, not a realistic goal in many cases.