STROKE sufferers will soon be offered extra care to help them recover at home thanks to investment in community rehabilitation.
Darlington Primary Care Trust is spending £70,000 to develop a community-based service of physiotherapy and other care, in addition to funding a small number of rehabilitation beds.
A local stroke services development group will also be established to work with local hospitals to broaden the care for patients.
As well as the progress for stroke victims, the Acute Trust and primary care trusts in Darlington and County Durham have won funding for a nurse liaison post for older people, which will improve further the experiences of older people in hospital.
Investment has also been made in intermediate care, including the commissioning of 15 beds from the private sector and the planned refurbishment of Hundens Lane Day Unit in Darlington.
The developments are part of a plan to improve services for elderly people to meet targets set down in the National Service Framework for Older People.
It follows the creation two years ago of Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold), which aims to improve the quality of life for older people living in Darlington.
Director of public health Dr Nonnie Crawford said: "In addition to the National Framework, the Gold strategy takes a more citizen-based approach and does not concentrate solely on service provision and development.
"With the joint Best Value Review on Older People, this overall programme of action represents a very significant investment in improving the experiences and opportunities for older people."
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