Engaging Carepartners in the Rehabilitation Process Post-Stroke
The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research (FPTR) recently awarded the 2021 $100,000 Paris Patla Physical Therapy Research Grant to Sarah Blanton, PT, DPT. Blanton, a Professor at Emory University’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, works with stroke survivors and their carepartners to integrate the family into rehabilitation and improve stroke outcomes.
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the US. Much more is needed to be known about the effect on carepartners and their role in recovery. The new, web-based carepartner-focused intervention that Blanton is studying will foster problem-solving and skill-building for carepartners in the hopes of better outcomes during gait rehabilitation in the home setting.
“Reflecting on my own role as a carepartner for my father after his stroke, I noticed that even though I was a PT, I had not sufficiently taken into account the broader goals of my family when I was guiding his care,” said Blanton. “It was really only after we had collaboratively developed family-centered goals that he began to make strides in his independence back into community mobility and participation. Those lessons help me re-evaluate my clinical and research focus and understand how this approach may have a broader impact in stroke rehabilitation.”
As a rehabilitation researcher with 30 years of experience in stroke rehabilitation, Blanton would like to develop more holistic, family-centered telerehabilitation during the stroke recovery process. These interventions could support better patient adherence and self-management during the recovery process.
“The valuable data and lessons gained from this innovative and high-impact work will inform future implementation for a larger-scale clinical trial,” said Blanton. “It will also provide new insights regarding the role of carepartner-engagement in promoting sustainable improvements in walking-related function, overall health, and wellness in stroke survivors and their carepartners that translate beyond the research laboratory or clinic to the home and community settings.”
Her study, “Evaluation of a Carepartner-Integrated Telehealth Gait Rehabilitation Program for Persons with Stroke,” is made possible by the Paris Patla Endowment Fund. Dr. Trisha Kesar is working alongside Blanton as Co-Investigator on this project.
Select Foundation Grants and Scholarships Awarded
SARAH BLANTON, PT, DPT

SELECT PUBLICATIONS
Blanton S, Clark PC, Lyles RH, Cotsonis G, Jones BD, Reiss A, et al. “A web-based carepartnerintegrated rehabilitation program for persons with stroke: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.” Pilot and feasibility studies. 2019;5:58
Blanton S, Dunbar S, Clark PC. “Content validity and satisfaction with a caregiver-integrated webbased rehabilitation intervention for persons with stroke.” Top. Stroke Rehabil. 2018;25:168-173
Blanton S CP, Cotsonis G, Dunbar S. “A carepartner-integrated telehealth rehabilitation program influences carepartner life changes, strain, and fatigue.” American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Conference. 2021