Stroke-survivor Will Webster’s journey back to health at home

Will Webster woke up at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, unaware his life was about to change. The signs of a stroke emerged fast. By the time he reached the QEII Halifax Infirmary, the emergency team was already in motion.

The stroke primarily affected the right side of Webster’s body; his leg dragged behind him and his right arm and fingers were heavy and unresponsive. By the time he was admitted to the stroke unit, his speech and cognition returned. 

"My stroke was probably much less severe than many others," Webster said. “I could move things; it was just harder.”

He was hospitalized for three days. Before being discharged, Webster met Joy Boyce, the early supported stroke discharge (ESSD) coordinator, who introduced him to the program that is designed to transition stroke patients to home-based care from hospital-based rehabilitation.

Established in 2023, the ESSD program provides intensive stroke rehabilitation at home for patients that meet a set criterion. The team recently won the 2025 Nova Scotia Health Quality Award for excellence in patent experience. 

The program is run by physiatrist, Dr. Anita Mountain and a team, which includes a recreation therapist, social worker, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation assistants, speech language pathology professionals and a dietitian.

This team offers the same care a patient receives during in-hospital rehabilitation but in the comfort of a patient’s home.

Within days, healthcare professionals began visiting Webster at home. His care plan included physiotherapy, occupational therapy and daily sessions with a rehabilitation assistant Megan Purdy, who became a constant and reassuring presence. While in hospital, Webster had high blood sugar, so his care plan also involved visits by the team's dietitian, who provided helpful dietary counseling.

“We really do offer the full scope of care a patient would receive as an inpatient and give it to them at home,” said Purdy, “because that's where everybody ultimately wants to be.”

What made the home-based rehab especially effective for Webster was how exercises were adapted to his living space. 

Over five weeks, Webster regained more mobility and independence. Each small victory, such as being able to hold a comb and brush his hair, was a meaningful milestone. 

Home-based recovery supports faster healing, enhances sleep quality and mobility and presents a quicker return to independence.

“The idea of getting rehab at home was attractive. Not only was it comfortable, but I could also see how it could help free up hospital resources. It felt like a win-win,” Webster added.

Purdy said the ESSD program improves patient experience and makes more beds available in hospitals, thereby improving patient flow in the healthcare system.

“Usually, when someone has to stay in the hospital, they’re given a bed and that bed is taken up while they’re there,” Purdy added. “There’s been a lot of talk about how hospitals are really short on beds and challenged with patient flow. Now, with our service in place, things are starting to change.”

Since the program began 18 months ago, 100 people with mild-moderate strokes have been able to recover at home with the support of the ESSD team. This has freed up more than 4,500 hospital bed days and decreased the 2024 wait time for patients who need to receive care at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre.

Webster’s wife, Anne, also found support in the process. Visits from a recreation therapist and social worker revealed her own challenges: the worry of leaving her husband alone. With encouragement and a plan in place, she resumed her own activities and began rebuilding her sense of normalcy.

“Knowing the recreation therapist would call me in two weeks motivated me to take that step,” said Anne. “It felt good to be supported; not just Will, but me too.”

Purdy emphasizes the importance of supporting patient’s loved ones as well. 

“Even though we're supporting the patients on our caseload, we also really try to support and help the loved ones through it as well,” she explained. “Having someone close to you go through a stroke can be a really scary thing.”

Webster brought a unique perspective to his recovery. Before retiring, he had served as the dean of the faculty of health professions at Dalhousie University. This specialization encompassed programs in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, communication disorders and social work. His professional experience gave him a deep appreciation for the expertise and coordination of his rehab team.

“Frankly, everything about the program was excellent,” Webster said. “Doing (therapy) at home was terrific and I’ve told a lot of people about it. We felt really lucky to have this option.”

Looking back, both Webster and his wife agree: the stroke was an unexpected and difficult event, but the compassionate, personalized and home-based rehabilitation program made all the difference.

“Having a stroke is not a fun thing,” he admitted, “but this kind of rehab sure made things a lot better than they would have been otherwise.”

Photo of Anne and Will Webster.