Globally cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is the second most important cause of death

(WHO, 2008). The word ＂stroke＂ itself depicts the manner in which this disorder often

occurs to a person. As aptly noted by Stein (2004), a person who is dynamic and

independent person is ＂struck down＂ (p.1). Stroke is an abrupt, life-changing incident

that often gives no caution of its approach. Almost every survivor of stroke has been

caught unaware and it has changed the life of the survivor forever. Duncan,

Blankenship, & Bitensky (2009) have noted that stroke can lead to a range of

neurological impairments and medical problems. They have added that constraints in

activities of daily living (ADLs) and reduced quality of life (QoL) are other major

outcomes of stroke. Based on the progress in the diagnosis, treatment and therapies for

stroke in the present day from the time when its occurrence was related to the

Hippocratic concept of disparity in the ＂humours＂, it can be argued that knowledge

about stroke has come a long way (Edlow, 2008).

Stroke has been defined by WHO (2005b) as a ＂focal (or at times global) neurological

impairment of sudden onset, and lasting more than 24 hours (or leading to death), and

of presumed vascular origin (p.4)＂. As per this definition; stroke has its genesis in the

vascular system referring to the blood vessels of the body, it occurs rapidly and lasts for

a time period of more than twenty hours. Injury of the nervous tissues and even death of

the patient has been reportede3 in many cases. A stroke or brain attack occurs when

cells in the brain die due to insufficient flow of blood. While 80 per cent of the strokes

are caused by the blockage of an artery in the neck or brain; the rest are caused by a

burst blood vessel in the brain that causes bleeding into or around the brain.