Stroke Survivors: Prepare for These Obstacles

Senior Home Care Glenview IL - Stroke Survivors: Prepare for These Obstacles

Thousands of elderly people have a stroke each year. As a family caregiver, this may be something that you worried about all the time with your elderly loved one. Did they have a stroke? If so, there are some obstacles they are likely going to face. Learning about these obstacles now can help you and their senior home care providers to better prepare for them.  

Physical Obstacles 

There are going to be some physical obstacles that your elderly loved one is going to face. The difficulties your elderly loved one has will vary depending on the severity of the stroke. However, some of the physical obstacles you and your elderly loved one should be prepared for include: 

• Not being able to walk well or at all 
• Limb weakness 
• Higher risk of falls 
• Trouble swallowing food 
• Chronic pain 
• Headaches and migraines 
• Fatigue 

Watching your elderly loved one deal with these challenges can be tough. They may need a lot more care due to these obstacles, as well. If this is the case, hiring senior home care providers may be the best option. The senior  home care providers can help your elderly loved one to manage these issues and to help with activities they can no longer do.  

Communication Obstacles 

People who have a stroke often suffer from communication issues. The severity of these issues can vary a lot, just like the physical challenges. Some of the communication obstacles that your elderly loved one may be faced with include: 

• Slurred speech which makes it difficult to understand them  
• Difficulties interacting socially due to communication issues 
• Easily distracted, so they don’t pay close attention to others when they are speaking 
• Can’t always stay on topic during conversations 

These are some of the different obstacles that may arise when your elderly loved one is trying to communicate with someone after a stroke. It is important to try being patient with your elderly loved one. Hopefully, with some time, they can improve at least some of their communications. 

Emotional Obstacles 

Having a stroke can be a very emotional experience. Sure, there are the physical and communication challenges that occur after a stroke. However, your elderly loved one could also experience the following:

• PTSD 
• Depression 
• Anxiety 
• Stress 
• Severe mood swings 

Need for Extra Help from Senior Home Care Services

The emotional aftermath of a stroke can take a huge toll on your elderly loved one. They may need you or a senior home care provider to be around all the time. Having company and companionship might help your elderly loved one to handle these emotional issues much better. 

These are some obstacles that your elderly loved one might face if they had a stroke. Now that you know about these issues, you can better prepare yourself for what is likely to occur.  

Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_stroke.htm 
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Post-Stroke-Rehabilitation-Fact-Sheet 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Glenview IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

---