Supporting Stroke Survivors by Bridging the Care Gap

Recovery doesn’t end at discharge

Our conversation centered on a reality that often goes unseen: stroke recovery doesn’t end when a patient leaves the hospital. For many survivors and their families, that’s where the hardest part begins.

Discharge can feel like a cliff. One day you’re surrounded by clinicians, structured schedules, and a clear plan. The next, you’re home — expected to manage medications, follow-ups, therapy appointments, mobility challenges, communication changes, and the emotional weight of what just happened.

And layered on top of it all is something many families don’t talk about out loud, but feel every day: the fear of another stroke.

The care gap is real — and it shows up in everyday life

At The Stroke Foundation, we see the care gap in the practical barriers families face:

• limited therapy coverage and hard stop insurance ceilings
• long waitlists and transportation challenges
• inconsistent follow-up and care coordination
• caregiver burnout and the quiet overwhelm of “figuring it out”

Recovery doesn’t happen only in clinical settings. It happens in the everyday spaces where life continues — and where support is often the hardest to access.

Where recovery really takes shape

We shared what we’ve learned through our work: recovery doesn’t start and end in a hospital — it continues in the everyday moments where life happens. In living rooms. In therapy sessions. In conversations between survivors and caregivers when no one else is watching.

Healing is built through connection — and through stories. Not just stories that inspire, but stories that inform. Stories that reveal what support actually looks like when someone is trying to return to work, relearn speech, manage fatigue, navigate depression, or rebuild a sense of identity.

When we listen closely to lived experience, we design better programs. We create stronger networks. We make solutions that match reality.

Patient voices aren’t an add-on — they’re the foundation

One of the most important messages from this panel was simple: patient voices aren’t just part of the story — they are the foundation on which meaningful change is built.

If we want to close the care gap, we have to treat stroke recovery as a collective responsibility. That takes intention, collaboration, and a shared commitment to designing care that doesn’t disappear once someone goes home.

It also means recognizing that secondary stroke prevention isn’t only about medication and clinical follow-up — it’s about whether someone has the support and resources to sustain recovery long-term.

Looking ahead

We left this event with renewed clarity: bridging the care gap requires more than awareness. It requires action — and partners willing to build with survivors and caregivers, not just for them.