Caring for Your Loved One After a Stroke – 5 Tips
Strokes can be sudden and unexpected, which means taking on the role of caregiver can be equally unexpected. Although the first few days, weeks or months might be a challenge, there are steps you can take to make the recovery process more manageable for everyone involved.
Keep these tips in mind if you’re caring for a loved one after a stroke:
Educate yourself
Education about proper stroke care is key. Take advantage of opportunities to learn about your loved one’s condition and prognosis by talking to your healthcare team, participating in support groups and visiting websites like the American Stroke Association. The more knowledge you have about strokes, the more effective your care will be.
Prepare your home
Since your loved one’s environment will impact his or her recovery, it’s important to set up the home to promote safety and continued healing. If you live in a multi-level home, consider setting up a ground-floor bedroom. Make sure all halls and stairwells are properly lit and all walkways are cleared of potential tripping hazards. Additionally, you can improve bathroom safety by adding a support bar to your shower or tub, purchasing a shower seat to make bathing safer and easier, and placing a no-slip mat outside the shower.
Watch for mood changes
There are a lot of emotions that can crop up after a life-changing event such as a stroke. Apart from offering support and patience to your loved one, it’s also important that you monitor him or her for signs of post-stroke depression. As depression can significantly affect your loved one’s recovery and rehabilitation, catching the signs early and consulting a physician is imperative.
Know the risk factors
According to the American Stroke Association, “Survivors who have had one stroke are at high risk of having another one if the treatment recommendations are not followed.” Make sure your loved one takes medication as prescribed, exercises, eats healthy and regularly visits his or her physician.
Look out for yourself
Your loved one’s care will ultimately benefit if you look after yourself too. Eat right, exercise and get proper sleep throughout your loved one’s journey to recovery, and lean on family members, friends or neighbors you trust to take over periodically while you enjoy some time to yourself. Additionally, learn to be patient with yourself. It’s impossible to be a perfect caregiver from the get-go, but with time, you will continue to learn.
The Covenant HealthCare Stroke Program is designed to provide extraordinary care in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of strokes. As a Primary Stroke Center, our program meets the rigorous standards of the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program.
Learn more about our services here.
Posted Date: 5/22/2017