The impact of a stroke on a person’s life depends on many factors, such as the size and location of the stroke, the general health of the person, their living circumstances and activities prior to stroke, and the support available to them after the stroke. To assess all these factors and study how they interact, we use the following methods:

Behavioral assessments include a variety of tasks. Some of them are fun and easy, and some of them (so-called adaptive tests) are designed to bring everybody to their limit. For example, we might ask participants to put together a puzzle, define some words, find objects in a cluttered scene, draw something, or remember a list of things.

Surveys and interviews give us an idea what a participant’s life is like. Do they live in a place that requires them to get up stairs? Are there people/pets who depend on them? Do they have people who will help them if needed? Do they have easy access to health care? What are their favorite activities, and are they still able to do them? What has already been done, and what else could be done, to enable a return to these activities?