According to the CDC, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and this cardiovascular event is a leading cause of long-term disability. While most stroke survivors face challenges with at least a few lingering health complications, those individuals may do quite a bit to preserve their physical and mental health. With the help of a good medical team and some hard work, your senior loved one could be back on his or her feet before you know it. Here are five ways to recover from a stroke quickly.
Don’t Ignore the Early Warning Signs
Rushing your loved one to the hospital as soon as you notice the early warning signs of a stroke could have a huge impact on his or her recovery. When a stroke is caught right away, a doctor can administer IV medications that increase blood flow while breaking apart clots. These medications may greatly reduce the risk of a long-term disability. Some of the early warning signs you need to keep an eye out for include confusion, slurred speech, a severe headache, and loss of balance.
2. Consider an Inpatient Recovery Program
While it might be tempting to take your loved one home after he or she is stabilized, your parent needs to begin therapy as quickly as possible. Unless the stroke was extremely minor, the doctor will probably suggest heading to an inpatient center to start an intensive recovery program. In the following days, your loved one will meet with a wide range of specialists, including speech pathologists, psychologists, and physical therapists. Those individuals will help your loved one carry out exercises to boost his or her physical and emotional health.
Once your loved one returns home to recover, he or she may require assistance with various daily tasks. Many older adults are choosing to age in place, and some need a helping hand to continue living at home safely and comfortably. Luckily, there is professional home care service Columbus seniors may trust and rely on.
Find the Right Diet
Your loved one’s speech pathologist is going to provide a training routine to strengthen the jaws and throat, but eating might still be difficult for quite some time. For the first few weeks, make sure your loved one is getting plenty of calories and a good mixture of nutrients. Some stroke survivors enjoy protein shakes, but you should also consider making fruit and vegetable smoothies. Bone broth that’s rich in protein and fat may be very beneficial as well.
Attend Every Scheduled Medical Appointment
After your loved one has made some positive steps toward recovery, he or she might think about skipping follow-up appointments, but that could be a huge mistake. Stroke survivors may regress if they aren’t careful, and minor health problems could quickly turn into long-term complications. During those appointments, the medical team will track your loved one’s progress and keep an eye out for warning signs of a second stroke.
If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a trusted provider of senior home care. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping.
Meditate
A stroke may damage many different areas of the brain, and these attacks often result in a variety of mental health issues. To combat those problems, encourage your loved one to meditate. This ancient practice may help with fatigue, irritability, mood swings, and depression. It may also strengthen the area of the brain responsible for processing information, which could reduce the risk of long-term cognitive problems.
Recovering from a stroke, managing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, and a variety of other health-related situations may make it difficult for a senior to continue living at home without someone there to help. 24 hour home care Columbus professionals are trained to help seniors who need extensive assistance. With the help of a professional caregiver, your elderly loved one may maintain a higher quality of life while aging in place. Call Assisting Hands Home Care today at 614-678-5887 to learn about our premier in-home care services.
