What Stroke Recovery Looks Like For Your Loved One
Navigating The Road To Stroke Recovery Together
After your loved one experienced their stroke, life as they knew it changed. If you have been active in their stroke recovery, your life as you knew it has likely changed too. Stroke recovery is often difficult and exhausting. In the wake of such a traumatizing event for your loved one, successful recovery can depend on having the right support team in place. Compassionate care and knowledgeable guidance during stroke recovery can lead to significant improvements in your loved one’s quality of life. Keep reading to learn about various aspects of stroke recovery – including how an in-home care provider can help.
Understanding Stroke Recovery
The recovery process after a stroke is multifaceted. The goal is to work towards regaining physical, emotional, and cognitive normalcy – or as close to it as possible. What this looks like will be different for every stroke survivor. Immediately following a stroke, individuals are likely to face mobility challenges, difficulty while communicating, and emotional burdens. This is likely one of the most challenging times of their life. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles often present during stroke recovery. Key virtues during stroke recovery, for both the survivor and their caregivers, are patience and persistence.
Areas Of Support During Stroke Recovery
Your loved one has a long road ahead of them. There are many ways in which support may be necessary.
- Physical: It is common to need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. This may be more necessary in the early stages of stroke recovery. As time goes on, the goal would be to recoup the ability to manage some of these tasks. Your loved one will likely also need support while participating in their physical therapy routines. Physical therapy may include mobility exercises to rebuild strength and familiarity with movements. Encouraging their consistent participation is key to significant progress. Additionally, you can physically support your loved one post-stroke by fostering a safe and accessible living space for them. This may include handrails, bath chairs, and other home additions that may help to prevent accidents as they regain independence.
- Emotional: Reassurance and encouragement are imperative to a successful stroke recovery. The emotional toll of the recovery process can be a lot for your loved one to bear. A compassionate listening ear can be a safe space to navigate the emotional impact of a stroke and the following recovery.
- Cognitive: Cognitive impairment after a stroke can make it difficult to concentrate, communicate, and remember details. According to the National Library Of Medicine, as many as 30% of survivors develop dementia in the first year post-stroke. This impact can drastically alter your loved one’s personality and they may even appear as a shell of themselves. Fortunately, these effects are typically the most significant in the first three months. They can and often do improve. Remain hopeful – and persistent with brain exercises such as memory exercises, puzzles, and other activities that may be cognitively stimulating.
- Nutritional: Essential nutrients are crucial for stroke recovery. A balanced diet is necessary to support the challenges that a stroke survivor is overcoming. Healing and rehabilitation require proper nutrition. Ensure that your loved one stays hydrated and has access to nutrient-dense meals. Consult a nutritionist or other healthcare professional for guidance in optimizing recovery results.
Self-Care for Caregivers
It may be easy to forget about your own well-being while caring for a loved one during their stroke recovery. However, you cannot give your best to anyone unless you practice self-care and prioritize your needs. Seek support for managing stress if necessary. Enlisting the help of respite caregivers so that you can fulfill other obligations or practice self-care is the best way to avoid caregiver burnout.
How We Can Help
As you navigate the road to recovery for your loved one, know that you do not have to do it alone. Many of our senior care providers have been trained at the industry-renowned Kaiser Vallejo Hospital to provide post-stroke care and brain and spinal injury rehabilitation. Their invaluable experience and specialized training in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy set our senior caregivers apart from others in the home care industry. At Serving Seniors Care, we understand that your loved one needs quality care with dignity and comfort for them – and peace of mind for the whole family. Available for full-time, part-time, and respite care, we take pride in being there for your loved ones when they need it – whatever level of care they may require.
Image by Freepik