If your senior loved one has had a stroke, it’s essential that they get the right treatment and the proper care during their recovery. Strokes are a very serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition, and if you’ve found yourself becoming a caregiver for your loved one while they recover from a stroke, our team at UMC has put together this helpful guide to assist. Please contact us with any questions.
First Steps for
Caregivers
- Educate yourself about strokes and
stroke recovery. Many people don’t know anything about strokes until
someone close to them has one, so a great first step is education. We
recommend joining local stroke recovery groups, speaking with the care
team at your loved one’s hospital, and reading everything you can about
stroke rehabilitation.
- Find out what expenses insurance
covers. Medicare and most health insurance companies usually cover the
majority of expenses for your loved one’s hospitalization and
rehabilitation, but you need to verify which hospitals and care providers
are included in their coverage.
- Understand what level of care your
loved one needs, and assess your ability to provide this care. It’s normal
to want to care for your loved one yourself, but sometimes their condition
requires professional care. It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay if
you can’t provide the full spectrum of care yourself.
Coming Home After a
Stroke
Once your loved one is
ready to come home, it’s important to keep these things in mind as they make
the transition:
- You may need to make your home safer.
This includes adding grab bars in the bathroom, removing smaller rugs that
can be tripping hazards, and ensuring your loved one won’t need to climb
any stairs.
- Be prepared for your loved one to
exhibit behavioral changes. Losing mobility and other functions, including
drastic changes to their quality of life, can be very difficult for the
stroke survivor, and emotions and tensions can run high.
- Pay attention to any signs of
depression. It’s common for stroke survivors to experience depression, and
it can unfortunately negatively impact or n hinder their recovery.
Taking Care of Yourself
While it’s wonderful
that you’re taking such great care of your loved one as they recover, it’s
essential to check in with yourself regularly: Are you burned out? Are you
getting enough sleep? How is your mental health? Are you falling behind in
other areas of your life? Do you feel emotionally drained? The better you take
care of yourself, the better you’ll be able to care for your loved one during
their recovery. You may want to check out local stroke recovery support groups,
or join online forums where you can share your experiences with people who
understand. Don’t put any pressure on yourself to be perfect or to do
everything on your own.
Get Help if you Need
it
Depending on the
severity of your loved one’s stroke, they may require professional care while
they recover. Home
care assistance is available to ensure your loved one gets the care
they need, and to help relieve you from your around-the-clock caregiving
duties.
If you have questions
about caring for a senior after a stroke, or if you need support, please contact our team at UMC today. Our
experienced team of caregivers provide respite care to seniors who are
recovering from a stroke, and we will be happy to help.
Original blog posted
on https://umcommunities.org/blog/care-for-a-senior-stroke/
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