When an elderly family member or other loved one suffers from a stroke, you may not know what you can do to help and support them in their treatment and recovery. Oftentimes, a stroke will mean that your loved one will have to make permanent changes and adjustments to their lifestyle as their mobility and speech as well as other cognitive and motor functions may be affected. Adjusting to a new lifestyle and new health circumstances can be challenging, but if you get to know some of the ways that you can help them adjust to their new situation, you can be sure that you are doing everything in your power to make the adjustment as easy and as smooth as possible for them.

Go To Physical and Speech Therapy Sessions With Them

It is important that your loved one feels support when they are going through the physical and cognitive rehabilitation process following their stroke. As such, as often as possible, you should try to accompany them to their physical and speech therapy sessions.

You being there with them has the dual effect of making your loved one feel supported and safe as well as making them more accountable for any "homework" they are given in these session. Therapists will often assign exercises and practice to their patients to work on outside of their sessions to speed and improve recovery and to get more noticeable results.

If you are there, you will know what exercises they need to perform and how often. You can then be sure that they complete their homework and get the results that they need and want.

Help Them Get Into Short Term Rehab And Possibly Long Term Care

As your loved one gets out of medical danger following their stroke, staying in the hospital for rehabilitation will likely become unnecessary and too expensive. Before your loved one is ready to be discharged, you will want to find a high quality short term rehab center for them. 

In short term rehab, your loved one will get the continued assistance and monitoring they need while also going to therapy and regaining their physical and mental strength. Short term rehab can also be a good opportunity for a trial run of what life would be like in an assisted living or senior living community if you and your loved one's doctors feel that returning to living alone would not be safe or appropriate.

Your loved one can get a taste of what it is like to have support and care when they need and want it as well as see the other amenities and assistance that could be available to them if they transition to a new living situation. This can create a no-pressure opportunity to bring up the subject.

With these factors in mind, you can be sure that you are providing the best support and care to your elderly loved one who has suffered a stroke. Visit Valley View Retirement Community for more information about short term rehab options.