10 Guidelines for Interacting with a Stroke Survivor
http://americanstroke.org/interacting-with-stroke-survivors/
With heartfelt thanks to the American Stroke Foundation without whose wisdom many would be leading a much less rich life with their family and friends.
My Life After a Stroke: https://enableme.org.au/en/Resources
Mind and Body after a Stroke
My Life after a Stoke...
“Mental health, in particular positive psychological factors such as having a purpose in life, is emerging as a very potent determinant of health outcomes,” said Patricia Boyle, PhD, Associate Professor of Behavioral Sciences at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Clinicians need to be aware of patients’ mental state and encourage behaviors that will increase purpose and other positive emotional states.”
https://www.mdedge.com/neurology/article/99269/stroke/sense-purpose-may-reduce-risk-cerebral-infarcts
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Stroke Foundation:
Stroke Survivors & Carers:
enableme is a free online resource and community developed with stroke survivors for stroke survivors and their families and supporters. With fact sheets and videos on a wide range of practical topics impacting daily life after stroke. Visit enableme.org.au for more information.
Carers - Caring for Yourself:
https://enableme.org.au/Resources/Caring-for-yourself
Watch video
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A virtual reality device is helping rehabilitate people who have had a stroke with modern technology that is also able to aid recovery of a number of other health conditions.
ALTO, developed by Add-Life Technologies takes traditional rehabilitation exercises and makes them fun and engaging by ‘gamifying’ the activities.
Managing Director and Co-founder of Add-Life Tech, Dr Tony Aitchison says people whose prognosis had previously plateaued are now improving significantly in as little as 20 minutes a day.
“We have found that people enjoy our sporting, music, puzzles, and more experiences to such a great extent that they end up achieving more than what they usually can achieve,” he says.
“We have seen people regain their mobility to the point that they are now walking away from their wheelchair and increasing their independence. This helps on a grand scale with their mental health as well as when they return to work, going out, seeing friends and family.”
27 June 2019
- Treat me the same way as you did before my stroke – I am the same person.
- Every stroke is different; therefore every stroke survivor is different. Common impairments for stroke survivors are: Vision, balance, speech, hearing, and paralyzed on one side.
- Some stroke survivors have difficulty communicating verbally as well as reading, writing, spelling, and understanding what is being said, this is called aphasia. Our brains have been rewired which affects our communication. So, we need you to: Give us enough time to respond. Talk slowly; offer at times to repeat yourself. Be patient when trying to communicate with us. It is okay to help us find a word when we are having trouble.
- Speech and language are hugely complex. Just to speak requires activating 100 muscles between the lungs and lips to produce at least 14 distinct sounds a second, said Dr Joseph Duffy of the Mayo Clinic.
- Stroke or brain injury patients often have trouble making sounds or retrieving words.
- “Nobody’s talking to them, nobody’s involving them. It’s very sad."
- There are other ways of communication besides words: gestures, facial expressions, body language, pictures, pen & paper.
- Treat us like adults and not children. Speak directly to us, not our spouse or friend. Don’t talk like the stroke survivor isn’t there. Laugh with us not at us.
- Give the stroke survivor a chance to be independent. Ask before you help them. Follow his/her instructions for initiating the help.
- Many stroke survivors have problems with balance. A rough pat on my back, shoulder, or arm can easily set us off balance and can hurt me. Be gentle and understand that it can take a lot of concentration to walk, especially on uneven surfaces.
- Wheelchair and walker are extensions of us. Please respect our space. If you bump the chair, please say excuse me. Please don’t lean on a wheelchair.
- Talk to us at eye level when possible when we are in a wheel chair. You can also back up a few feet to make it easier for a person in a wheelchair to look at you.
- When we are tired and/or frustrated, ALL of our basic skills (i.e. talking, walking, handwriting, and concentration) diminish. If we are more agitated than usual, we are probably tired or frustrated! Have patience and encourage us to rest or “take a break” when appropriate.
http://americanstroke.org/interacting-with-stroke-survivors/
With heartfelt thanks to the American Stroke Foundation without whose wisdom many would be leading a much less rich life with their family and friends.
My Life After a Stroke: https://enableme.org.au/en/Resources
Mind and Body after a Stroke
My Life after a Stoke...
“Mental health, in particular positive psychological factors such as having a purpose in life, is emerging as a very potent determinant of health outcomes,” said Patricia Boyle, PhD, Associate Professor of Behavioral Sciences at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Clinicians need to be aware of patients’ mental state and encourage behaviors that will increase purpose and other positive emotional states.”
https://www.mdedge.com/neurology/article/99269/stroke/sense-purpose-may-reduce-risk-cerebral-infarcts
= - = - = - = - = - = - = - =
Stroke Foundation:
- Types of Stroke
- Stroke symptoms
- Treatment for Stroke
- What is a stroke?
- National Impact
- Risk factors
- Help after stroke
- Prevent stroke
Stroke Survivors & Carers:
enableme is a free online resource and community developed with stroke survivors for stroke survivors and their families and supporters. With fact sheets and videos on a wide range of practical topics impacting daily life after stroke. Visit enableme.org.au for more information.
Carers - Caring for Yourself:
https://enableme.org.au/Resources/Caring-for-yourself
Watch video
-----------------------------------------------------------
A virtual reality device is helping rehabilitate people who have had a stroke with modern technology that is also able to aid recovery of a number of other health conditions.
ALTO, developed by Add-Life Technologies takes traditional rehabilitation exercises and makes them fun and engaging by ‘gamifying’ the activities.
Managing Director and Co-founder of Add-Life Tech, Dr Tony Aitchison says people whose prognosis had previously plateaued are now improving significantly in as little as 20 minutes a day.
“We have found that people enjoy our sporting, music, puzzles, and more experiences to such a great extent that they end up achieving more than what they usually can achieve,” he says.
“We have seen people regain their mobility to the point that they are now walking away from their wheelchair and increasing their independence. This helps on a grand scale with their mental health as well as when they return to work, going out, seeing friends and family.”
27 June 2019