Stroke often results in one or more serious long-term effects. Older p
ersons who experience stroke typically experience other chronic condit
ions as well. This article analyzes coping strategies of home-based ol
der people who experienced a stroke, focusing on use of assistive devi
ces. In a sample of 35 older people with stroke, 20% had either moved
into a nursing home or had died within 1 year of an initial interview.
The remaining 27 older people were interviewed twice, at 1-year inter
vals. Comparisons were made to determine changes over 1 year for measu
res of health, functional status, and psychosocial status, as well as
ownership, usage, and satisfaction with assistive devices. Three case
studies are presented to illustrate how these older people use assisti
ve technology in coping with the effects of stroke and their other chr
onic conditions.