Simple Stroke Care

07/20/2023

07/20/2023

Beautiful ❤

10/23/2022

Animals, birds, people… we all understand kindness.

“This is my 95-year-old neighbor who has lived alone since his wife died of cancer a few years ago, and our chicken Hei Hei. His companion dog also recently passed away. Hei Hei gets out of the chicken yard every day to visit him and they are now buddies. He pets her and gives her treats!”

03/23/2022

Regaining Bladder and Bowel Control

Bowel and bladder retraining can be accomplished, in many instances, by following a strict schedule for elimination: after each meal take the stroke patient to the toilet or sit them on a bedside commode. In between meals try going about every 1.5-2 hours. This helps the sphincters relearn to relax on command. Wet wipes make hygiene easier for your loved one or for you. In the meantime, put the stroke patient in pull-ups with an extra pad in front (for men) to catch urine leakage, that way you might be able to change the pad only.
Improve shoulder range of motion and strength with the functional reach exercise: both hands reach up to ceiling, both hands touch behind the head, and then behind back. If this is impossible with both arms just use the strong arm even if it’s the non-dominant side. I designed this exercise to improve reach in patterns that help daily practical skills like dressing and toileting. If these suggestions don’t work, call the MD for more ideas.
Clean, dry perineal skin lowers the risk of developing a urinary tract infection, skin rashes, and skin breakdown, which can lead to pressure sores. Besides, your loved one will be much more comfortable and feel and smell better!

03/21/2022

Stroke is like a lawnmower that won’t start. You have to find creative solutions to the various challenges you face. Just like my friend and her lawnmower—you’ll get your loved one up and going! Here’s her story:

My lawnmower saga.
I wanted to mow Saturday morning but my mower wouldn’t start. I got out my manual. I went to Home Depot to get new oil and spark plugs and went to the gas station for fresh gas.
When I read how to put in the sparkplug it said I needed a sparkplug wrench.
Sunday I went to Home Depot and they were out. So I went to Walmart. I was a woman in a mission.
Got home and removed the spark plug.
But when I tried to drain the gas I couldn’t get the hose off. In all the videos they just jiggle it and it pops off. I used my pliers on the metal brackets. The hose just wouldn’t budge. So I turned my lawn mower upside down and drained the gas. Filled it up with gas. Put in the new spark plug.
Finally I checked the oil. It is on the side of the mower. But when I tried to pour in the oil I couldn’t. So I got a funnel out of my kitchen.
I just guessed at how much to pour in. I checked the oil until it was just right.
IT STARTED! Praise the Lord. I mowed my yard!

02/28/2022

Practice deep breathing to improve your health and that of your loved one. https://youtu.be/wqBIue2m-MI

Patient and caregiver alike can benefit from the practice of deep breathing. It raises oxygen levels for clearer thinking and muscle action; it lowers heart...

02/19/2022

01/24/2022

Panic Mode

Take a few deep breaths and learn to relax. This is such a common problem after your loved one has had a stroke. It is so easy to go into panic mode and think at any moment you could be rushing your loved one back to the hospital with another stroke.

You have to stop that thought in it's tracks and remind yourself of how well they are doing. Count your blessings to see what they still have or have regained. That's why it so good to keep a progress journal from day one. Keep your mind on this track and you'll both be so much better off!

01/24/2022

Encouragement

Many new caregivers of a stroke survivor are at their wit's end when determining what to do first.

To start with, educate yourself on what stroke is, the kind of stroke your loved one has had, and what the rehab process is all about. Your neurologist is a good place to begin, followed by the therapists. If you're already home, read the posts on this page for finding normalcy and a healthy routine.

We are here when you have questions or just want to learn something new. Take a deep breath and know you are doing your best!

Take good care!
Ann

01/24/2022

Does your stroke survivor need a phone with large keys and an extra loud speaker? Here's a great one. Emergency options are available and, of course, I found a great deal for you!
Bring peace of mind to your home with our line of Emergency Alert Phones at CWI Medical.

CWI Medical is the trusted supplier of a wide range of home healthcare products. Browse our catalog for caregivers and shop for emergency alert devices now!

01/24/2022

Regaining Bladder and Bowel Control
Bowel and bladder retraining can be accomplished, in many instances, by following a strict schedule for elimination: after each meal take the stroke patient to the toilet or sit them on a bedside commode. In between meals try going about every 1.5-2 hours. This helps the sphincters relearn to relax on command. Wet wipes make hygiene easier for your loved one or for you. In the meantime, put the stroke patient in pull-ups with an extra pad in front (for men) to catch urine leakage, that way you might be able to change the pad only.
Improve shoulder range of motion and strength with the functional reach exercise: both hands reach up to ceiling, both hands touch behind the head, and then behind back. If this is impossible with both arms just use the strong arm even if it’s the non-dominant side. I designed this exercise to improve reach in patterns that help daily practical skills like dressing and toileting. If these suggestions don’t work, call the MD for more ideas.
Clean, dry perineal skin lowers the risk of developing a urinary tract infection, skin rashes, and skin breakdown, which can lead to pressure sores. Besides, your loved one will be much more comfortable and feel and smell better!
Adult Briefs, Protective Underwear, and Absorbent Pads designed for the cost-conscious consumer looking for quality incontinence solutions.

CWI Medical is the trusted supplier of a wide range of home healthcare products. Browse our catalog for caregivers and shop for incontinence products now!

01/07/2022

Tough Love for Yourself

I heard a caregiver say, "my stroke survivor is down in the dumps,” followed by an admission that, “I can’t stop crying.” Moods and emotions are infectious. I’m not being critical just stating a fact.

The negative energy has to be broken up. The stroke survivor has a much harder time doing this than someone who hasn’t had a stroke. So, even though it’s hard, you have to be the strong one and present a positive and encouraging front to them.

This will eventually “infect” them with an improved mood especially if you couple it with praise for what they can do successfully as they do it. It’s an inch by inch process but it does work. It’s much more effective if your loved one doesn’t have to climb over the depression and negativity in those around them.

Sorry to be blunt but I assume you are on this page to find solutions and hope. You can do this.

12/17/2021

Are you concerned about your loved one's memory? Here's an idea to help both of you...

Keep a journal where they write down what they did that day, what they ate, when they exercised, and what exercises they did, etc. Keep appointments on a calendar in this journal, too. The first page should be basic info like name, address, phone number, family member names, etc., so they can check the journal for the answers to the most common questions. If something new or different happened, have them write it down in the journal to refer back to. It will save you answering the same questions a dozen times as you can tell them, "look at your journal,"or "what does your journal say?"

Never belittle them, just gently remind them it's in there.

12/10/2021

The best Christmas gifts for a stroke survivor are items that will make their life, and yours, easier. The Wright Stuff has a number of time-saving, frustration-eliminating gift ideas that you will love. Flip through the catalog and see just how easy and fun you can make this Christmas for your family!
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Caregiver Products provides disability aids, elderly care products, handicap aids, geriatric aids, home medical supplies, nursing home supplies, and assistive devices that make caregiving easier.

12/01/2021

The Stages of Care after Stroke

I worked at a stroke trauma center in a hospital for years. My opinion is biased, but I think in-patient rehab is great! However, in-patient therapy is only one of several steps in the best practices pathway. Without understanding the differences, you may end up in a facility/setting that you were not expecting and did not want!

Your loved one is stabilized medically, and acute care therapies begin from the hospital room in the medical unit. This is minimal therapy from one to three times a week, but helps.

The next step is in-patient therapies in a dedicated center, often in a hospital. Insurance requires 3 hours of therapy a day, 6 days a week. It's very intense but also very good. Another type of in-patient setting is a skilled nursing facility or nursing home/rehab center, not associated or housed in a hospital. Work in this setting is based on the number of minutes per week that a patient qualifies for and then receives.

The next phase is home health where therapists come to the home to treat your loved one who must be considered home-bound.
Last is out-patient, where the patient leaves the home and goes to a clinic for therapy.
This is the continuum of care for therapy services in most states. All patients do not go through all phases depending on their level of deficits, needs, and other medical issues. Each setting has it's benefits and drawbacks.

No matter which phase of therapy and recovery your family is in, I recommend you attend with your loved one as much as possible. You need to understand how the stroke effected your loved one. You need to be trained in appropriate exercises and activities, safety, adaptive equipment, and a host of other topics. You are right there with the experts and can get your questions answered on the spot. Many times if you are not present in those all-important sessions, you don't even know what questions you should be asking!

Take good care!
Ann Yarbrough Gupton, COTA/L, CLT, TMRC

11/18/2021

What is a TIA?

Commonly called a “mini stroke,” a TIA is a Transient Ischemic Attack where blood flow is temporarily halted in an area of the brain. The symptoms are similar to those of a stroke.

• Numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• Blurry or double vision
• Garbled or incoherent speech
• Severe headache
• Loss of coordination or balance

The difference between a TIA and a stroke is that these symptoms go away quickly, within minutes to an hour or two. Many people think, “I’m okay now. It must’ve been a fluke.” Wrong!

A TIA is a medical emergency. One out of every three people who experience a TIA have a stroke within a year. But it could also happen within the next 24 hours. It is a wakeup call to get blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, stress, diet, and exercise on a healthy track. Don’t think you are too young to have a stroke, either. Strokes are occurring in younger people more than ever due to a number of factors.

Get checked out immediately. Don’t risk having a potentially debilitating stroke that changes the rest of your life in ways that you can’t even imagine.

11/02/2021

Fall Recovery

You hear a thud and run to find Mom on the floor! She fell! What do you do first?

Falls happen in the blink of an eye, and most are preventable. But when they do occur, you need to know exactly what to do. Most people think they should pull a fallen person up from the floor immediately, but that would be wrong! When you know what to do ahead of time, you can control your loved one’s panic and your own.

Here are the steps to follow.

1. Stop! Don’t move a fallen person yet.
2. Reassure them with your calm voice and loving touch. Do not be angry with them for falling by shouting, “you’ve done it again!” or “why didn’t you call me!” This only escalates an already tense situation. Emotional pain can become physical pain.
3. Help your loved one calm down. Have them take a few deep breaths to slow their racing heart (and yours). Once they are calmer, they are more likely to be able to truly assess their condition.
4. Check to see if there are injuries like a broken bone. If you quickly pull a person up who has a broken hip or other fracture, you will cause more pain and possibly more injuries.
5. If you discover extreme localized pain or a fracture, call 9-1-1 immediately. Make your loved one as comfortable as possible on the floor and do not attempt to move them.
6. If there is no serious injury that you can determine, and they are willing, you can help them get up. There is a specific process to follow.
7. Once you have them seated in a chair or on the couch, reassess again, even if they say they are fine. You want to make sure you did not miss a potential injury.
8. Monitor them during the next few hours to the next day or two for new symptoms of pain, soreness, bruising, or cognitive changes. If you did not witness the fall, you don’t know if they hit their head or not. Even a mentally intact person, can be rattled enough to not remember banging their head.
9. Call the doctor’s office to report the fall. Every time a fall happens make that call.
10. Later, if you see any new symptoms that could be related to the fall, call the doctor immediately. Internal injuries are difficult to determine. You need to inform the doctor who can then use his expertise and experience to make the correct diagnosis.

As you can see, getting up from a fall doesn’t occur till item number 6 in my list! Elderly persons’ falls are a national pandemic of their own with a fall occurring every 11 minutes that requires hospitalization. Prevention is the best cure of all. But when falls do happen, knowing what to do can prevent panic and greater injury.