If your Mum or Dad has had a stroke, especially around the busy family Christmas period, and is in hospital, you may feel unsure as to what you can do to help. Stroke happens suddenly and changes peoples lives.
Approximately 152,000 people have strokes in the UK each year and more than one million people in the UK are living with stroke (Stroke Association 2013).
When you visit your Mum or Dad in hospital it is important that you talk to them calmly and normally, assuming that they understand everything you say, even if they are unable to converse and even if they aren’t making a lot of sense. In the early days after stroke, the whole body is in shock and initially your Mum or Dad may experience significant difficulties, which may resolve, at least partially, over time.
Maintain a positive attitude and re-inforce every sign of recovery, no matter how small to encourage your Mum or Dad.
Is there more recovery early after stroke?
The first few months following stroke is when fastest recovery takes place. During this time, the body and brain are re-organising themselves to cope with the damage caused by the stroke, which is an interruption in the blood supply to the brain.
Specialist neurological physiotherapy in the period soon after stroke is extremely helpful in guiding the body to re-organise itself (neuroplasticity) in the best possible way. People who have had strokes are often not very confident on their feet and working with an experienced physiotherapist helps to build confidence and improve balance.
The more practice and treatment a person with stroke has early after stroke, the more quickly they will re-gain their confidence. Specialist neurological physiotherapists will work with each person after stroke, at their pace, to improve their movement control and get them back to doing things they enjoy.
At heads up! we treat everyone as an individual, working with our patients to create tailored treatment programmes. We are also here for continual, support, advice, information and encouragement.
Get in touch to talk to a physiotherapist and find out how we can help you, a family member or friend and keep in touch with our latest news by following us on Twitter.
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