NEWS DETAILS

Dealing with Stroke and Rehabilitation

What is a Stroke?
A stroke is the loss of blood supply  to part of the brain, it can be a serious life-threatening issue and cause long term damages to cognitive function. When blood supply is cut off or stopped, then brain cells begin to die affecting cognitive functions and causing injury to the brain, disability and in some instances, death.
types and symptoms of stroke
There are three types of strokes
 Ischaemic stroke: this is a situation where blood supply is disrupted as a result of the clotting of blood. It is the most common type of stroke. 
Haemorrhagic stroke: occurs when a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts. 
Transient ischaemic attack (TIA): occurs where blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted. It is also known as a mini-stroke.
Symptoms of stroke
There are symptoms of a stroke that should be looked out for so it can be detected and treated sooner rather than later. The sooner a stroke is treated, the better the chance of limiting the resulting damage to brain cells. These symptoms may be experienced in form of:
Muscular: difficulty walking, paralysis with weak muscles, problems with coordination, stiff muscles, overactive reflexes, or paralysis of one side of the body
Visual: blurred vision, double vision, sudden visual loss, or temporary loss of vision in one eye
Speech: difficulty speaking, slurred speech, or speech loss
Whole body: fatigue, light-headedness, or vertigo
Limbs: numbness or weakness
Sensory: pins and needles or reduced sensation of touch
Facial: muscle weakness or numbness
Also common: balance disorder, difficulty swallowing, headache, inability to understand or mental confusion.
The way to remember these is FAST.
Face – Is their face drooping on one side?
Arms – Can they lift both arms?
Speech – Is their speech slurred?
Time – If there are any of these signs, seek medical attention immediately.
The Effects of a Stroke
The aftereffects of a stroke may include  problems speaking and communicating, weakness on one side, spatial awareness, memory loss, and other effects on cognitive function. It can also cause increased depression and anxiety as someone comes to terms with the effect a stroke has had on them or as a result of their brain injury. 
It may lead to changes in one's personality, as confusion and frustration at their situation sets in. They may have issues with their memory and get angry or upset easily. You may have to remind or explain to them how their circumstances have changed, and it may be difficult for them to accept help and support and lose some of their independence.
Home Care after a stroke
Taking care of a person after a stroke can be very demanding and might come across as difficult seeing as the person affected by the stroke might have a change in personality and makes the care giver to be on the receiving end of their frustration. The process of rehabilitation will vary greatly based on the person and the severity of their stroke. 
Age can be a factor that slows down rehabilitation in patients following a stroke. A stroke in someone who is elderly can make rehabilitation more difficult due to existing health or mobility problems.
Home care after stroke allows someone to recover and rehabilitate in their own home in familiar surroundings with the ability to see family and friends freely as this help them recover lost memory better. 
 A home carer can either work on a live in or visiting basis, providing as much care as is needed to help with the recovery process such as cleaning, preparing food, rehabilitation exercises, attending appointments, help with personal care and administering medication.