Recovering from a stroke can take up to a year or more. However, your senior loved one should start showing some progress shortly after his or her health has stabilized and he or she has had time to rest. You’ll likely see the most progress within the first three to six months after your loved one’s stroke, which means you must start providing support right away. These five tips can help stroke survivors overcome their challenges and enjoy a faster recovery.
1. Get in the Right Mindset
Stroke survivors are up against a lot. Your loved one may be facing paralysis in parts of his or her body, or he or she may have lost the ability to speak clearly. Depression is common in seniors who have experienced strokes, and apathy and frustration can cause them to give up. You can combat depression by helping your loved one maintain a positive attitude. Use encouraging words to help your loved one see that recovery is possible, and consider incorporating relaxation tactics such as meditation into his or her day.
2. Recover at Home
During the discharge process, your family will need to decide where your loved one should live when he or she is ready to leave the hospital. Seniors who recover at home often have faster recoveries simply because they’re able to begin to renew their abilities where they’re the most comfortable. Recovering at home is also less stressful than moving to an assisted living facility. To make recovery at home easier, put together a team that includes professional caregivers as well as family members who can rotate shifts until your loved one feels better.
Home care service agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.
3. Do the At-Home Rehab Exercises
Stroke recovery will involve various types of therapeutic activities that are designed to help your loved one regain the use of his or her limbs. These typically require doing some exercises at home to supplement sessions done in a therapist’s office. Appoint a caregiver to help your loved one do these exercises, since they sometimes need to be done multiple times a day. Having someone available to help also gives your loved one encouragement and support so he or she is more likely to keep trying to enhance his or her abilities.
A professional caregiver can help your loved one follow a safe, effective exercise plan during recovery. Families looking for top-rated Carmichael homecare providers can reach out to Home Care Assistance. From respite care to specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care, there are many ways we can make life easier for seniors and their loved ones.
4. Supplement Speech Therapy with Apps & Games
Many stroke survivors are unable to speak clearly. Your loved one may need help remembering words and avoiding things such as slurred speech or stuttering. While your loved one will likely go to professional speech therapy, he or she can also practice at home. Look for speech therapy apps and games designed for stroke survivors and help your loved one use them in his or her spare time.
5. Prevent New Health Issues
Many setbacks seniors experience during stroke recovery are caused by preventable problems. Falling and hitting his or her head could slow down your loved one’s cognitive recovery. Your loved one may also have difficulty learning to walk again if he or she injures a foot or leg. Think about the things that could possibly cause your loved one to have a new health issue and take steps to prevent them. Being in overall good health helps your loved one focus on healing from the stroke.
Certain age-related conditions can make it more challenging for seniors to age in place safely and comfortably, but Carmichael live-in care experts are available around the clock to help seniors manage their health. Whether your loved one is living with dementia or recovering from a stroke, you can trust the professional live-in caregivers from Home Care Assistance to enhance his or her quality of life. To learn more about our reliable, compassionate in-home care services, contact us at (916) 485-4663 today.