The Lighthouse Strategy: Improving the Functional Status of Patients with Unilateral Neglect After Stroke and Brain Injury Using a Visual Imagery Intervention

Abstract

This study extends the work of J. Niemeier (1998) by using visual imagery for amelioration of the devastating impact of visual inattention or neglect on recovery from stroke or other brain injuries. Ten individuals with unilateral visual neglect who were undergoing acute physical rehabilitation after brain injury were cued by their interdisciplinary treatment team members to “be like” horizon-illuminating lighthouses and turn their heads left and right during functional and therapy training tasks. These treatment group patients, in comparison with waiting list controls, performed significantly better and more safely on route finding (p < .001), walking or wheelchair (p < .05), and problem solving (p < .05) tasks. The use of visual imagery techniques in rehabilitation of brain injuries is discussed.

Keywords:

• rehabilitation
• route finding
• stroke
• visual imagery
• visual neglect