A stroke can change a person’s life in a matter of minutes. Suddenly everyday activities such as walking,using an arm or hand,speaking,swallowing, or getting dressed may become difficult
One of the most common questions after a stroke is:
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO RECOVER?Unfortunately,there is no easy answer. Every stroke i different,and every person’s recovery is different. The location and size of the stroke,the severity of the resulting problems,the SURVIVORS overall health,and the amount and type of rehabilitation all influence the extent and speed of the recovery.
The good news is that stroke recovery does not necessarily end after a few weeks or months. Many stroke SURVIVORS continue to improve months and years after the stroke (www.stroke.org).
THE FIRST 24 TO 72 HOURS:STABILIZATION AND EARLY TREATMENT
The first hours following a stroke are critical. Medical professionals work to determine what type of stroke occurred,stabilize the patient,and reduce the possibility of additional brain damage
Depending on the type of stroke,treatment may include medication,procedures to restore blood flow, surgery or other medical interventions. Once the patient is determined to be medically stable, the healthcare team begins evaluating the effects of the stroke. These evaluations may look at:
Strength
Balance and coordination
Walking ability
Arm and hand functions
Speech and communication
Swallowing
Memory and thinking
Ability to perform everyday activities
Rehabilitation may begin surprisingly early
For some patients therapy can begin within a day or two of the stroke once they are medically stable (www.stroke.org)
THE FIRST FEW DAYS TO A WEEK
During the early hospital period, the primary goal is to be sure that the patient is medically stable while beginning the recovery process. Therapists may begin working with the p
SURVIVOR on basic skills such as:
Sitting up safely
Moving from a bed to a chair
Standing
Taking the first steps
Using the affected arm
Eating and swallowing safely
Communicating
Performing basic personal-care activities
Some SURVIVORS will be able to go home relatively quickly while others may need additional rehabilitation in an inpatient rehabilitation facility or a skilled nursing facility or another setting. The appropriate rehabilitation setting depends on the patient’s medical condition,abilities,endurances and their level of disability
GOING HOME
When the SURVIVOR is ready to return to their home. The family members and/or Cargiver should be sure that the home is physically ready to receive the SURVIVOR They should have received advice and assistance from a Patient Advocate at the hospital If the hospital has an advocate on staff. They will help arranging for the in-home medical devices that the patient will need to safely live at home. These may include a hospital bed and a toilet seat riser, just to mention a few. The family should review the house to determine other things to ensure safety Depending on the severity of the patient’s handicaps,things such as shower/bathtub grab bars may need to be installed, as well as handicap bars by the toilet (especially if they have a difficult time standing up without holding on to something for stability and balance. It’s also helpful to put no slip strips on tile floors in front of the toilet. Very helpful if they use the bathroom while wearing socks. I (site owner) found this out the hard way after falling a putting a large hole in the drywall with my elbow. Fortunately the only thing hurt was myp
pride and a big bruise on my side and back
WEEKS 1 TO 12(probably after going home) A CRITICAL PERIOD FOR RECOVERY
For many stroke SURVIVORS,the first several weeks and months can bring some of the most noticeable improvements. The American Stroke Association describes week 1 through 12 as the subacute phase,when significant recovery can occur and intensive rehabilitation may produce important gains(www.stroke.org). During this period rehabilitation may become more intensive
Physical Therapy may focus on:
Leg Strength
Improving Balance
Learning to walk again
Improving Coordination
Practicing Transfers
Learning how to use a cane,walker,brace
Reducing the risk of falls
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy focuses on helping a person become more independent with everyday activities:
Getting Dressed
Bathing
Eating
Grooming
Using the affected arm and hand
Performing household activities
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY
Speech and Language therapy may help with:
Speaking
Understanding Language
Reading and Writing
Memory and thinking
Swallowing difficulties
The specific combination of therapies depends on the problems caused by the stroke (www.stroke.org)
THREE TO SIX MONTHS: PROGRESS MAY CONTINUE
Many people experience significant improvements during the first three to six months after a stroke. However this doesn’t mean that recovery stops after six months
SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR
During the six-month to one year period,progress may be slower,but meaningful progress can still occur
Some SURVIVORS continue therapy every year Since most insurance will only cover a limited number of sessions. Physical and occupational are often considered separately and most insurances reset every year. Be sure to check with your insurance company when they reset to a new payment year. Once you understand the timing of the reset you can request your doctor to write a prescription for more therapy sessions This will allow you to continue your recovery and build on your progress It’s important to continue doing the therapy exercises at home after you’ve run out of insurance paid sessions. Continuing the exercises at home ensures that you don’t regress and it may allow you to realize some additional recovery
RECOVERY AFTER ONE YEAR
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One of the most important things for SURVIVORS and their families to understand is that one year doesn’t necessarily mark the end of recovery Discuss this with your therapist’s. Many will share their personal experience of having patients realize improvements I’ve been told by several they’ve seen improvements as many as 5 and 10 years after their stroke. However they are also quick to stress that they were extremely dedicated people completely committed to their recovery.
The Bottom line is that progress doesn’t have to stop if you work hard and you are committed to doing your exercises Although the fastest improvements often occur earlier, brain can continue adapting and learning long after the stroke
DON’T GIVE UP BECAUSE PROGRESS HAS BEEN SLOW
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
This article is written by a Stroke SURVIVOR of 13 years. He doesn’t have any formal training or education in either the medical or therapy fields Be sure to follow the advice given by your doctors and therapist’s
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