Why Are Support Groups Important Aspects in Post-Stroke Care Plans?
According to the American Heart Association, each hour about 90 people in the U.S. suffer a stroke. About 1 in 20 people face some form of long-term disability after a stroke. Physical disability is just one of the struggles people face. There’s also the mental and emotional aspect that impacts overall well-being.
What Happens During a Stroke
There are three main types of strokes. The most common is an ischemic stroke. In this type, something – be it a plaque or a blood clot – blocks a blood vessel within the brain. With blood no longer reaching that area of the brain, there’s no oxygen to keep the brain cells healthy.
Hemorrhagic strokes occur when an artery within the brain ruptures and leaks blood into the brain cavity. There’s a second kind of hemorrhagic stroke that occurs when bleeding starts between the tissue covering the brain and the brain itself. Either way, it puts too much pressure on brain cells and causes cell damage.
Mini-strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) occur when blood flow to the brain is only blocked for a few minutes. It’s an indicator that a stroke could happen in the near future. About 30 percent of people who have had a TIA have a stroke within a year if they don’t seek medical care.
Immediate care is needed when any form of stroke is happening. Numbness and tingling in the arms, face, or legs is one symptom. Confusion, slurred speech, vision difficulties, headache, or mobility problems are also common.
Recovering From a Stroke
After a stroke, your mom or dad needs to work very carefully with their doctor. Rehabilitative services are a must. Your parent is likely going to have to learn to use arms and legs again. Learning to talk again is often required. Some stroke victims never regain their full abilities. Home care services become an important part of a post-stroke care plan.
In addition to the physical healing and rehabilitation, stroke victims often experience emotional and mental difficulties. The loss of speech and mobility is frustrating. There’s also a layer of fear that it could happen again.
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders following a stroke. Anxiety and panic are others. They may both appear. Some stroke victims have another mental disorder known as the pseudo-bulbar affect, which causes inappropriate emotional responses. Your mom might suddenly burst into laughter when she sees a child fall down or cry when she watches a puppy rolling in the grass. Support groups help with the emotional and mental issues caused by strokes.
Make sure your parent has a full range of supportive services after a stroke. Home care aides can help with mobility, and meals around the home. They can also schedule appointments and make sure your parent gets to therapy sessions on time. Call our home care agency to discuss your mom or dad’s post-stroke care plan.
Sources: https://professional.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_503396.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/types_of_stroke.htm
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Naples FL, call the caring staff at Dial-a-Nurse today. Naples: (239) 434-8000. Ft. Myers: (239) 939-1228.