USE SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION THERAPIES AT HOME!

This statement is not meant to frighten you; —it’s meant to alert you and make you aware that stroke survivors at home are missing out on recovery due to a lack of confidence and guidance. This is also my personal experience.

Getting discharged home from an inpatient rehabilitation setting has to be viewed as a good/positive thing. It normally indicates progress in your recovery, but now it’s time to start your intensive rehabilitation. The work really begins now. The 3 hours daily repetitive practice recommended by the UK/Irish Stroke Associations needs to start.

One of my Australian connections told me last year the following;

'I think care givers want to care for their family member and are often too frightened to challenge their partner after a stroke. They both need to adapt to small challenges such as sitting next to the dishwasher and emptying it together'

GROWTH MINDSET

Caregivers should NOT be frightened to pass on KNOWLEDGE. The important knowledge for those stroke survivors who have a 'GROWTH MINDSET' i.e. they believe that neuroplasticity does in fact take place at every second of every day, that your home is an advantageous place to undertake a physical rehabilitation programme and a caregiver is an ESSENTIAL person required to assist with the programme at home.

Caregivers should know this. They can feel overwhelmed—not knowing how to help their stroke survivors. Because they don’t have the exact recipe or guidance for what should be carried out at home, they generally lack confidence and frequently are unable to give the best advice or supervision to their stroke survivor. This is not surprising because very little exact guidance or information specifically targets how to run/supervise a physical rehabilitation for a stroke survivor at home.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

When stroke survivors arrive home, a full physical recovery would be optimal, but simply knowing they have the best chance to make a recovery because they are starting a successful program can be hugely beneficial for them. However, what often happens is that it’s only after a stroke survivor is discharged home that a search for a reputable physical therapy program begins. In other words, none of the advance planning to prepare the stroke survivor for their important physical rehabilitation program at home has been done. Perhaps they are lucky enough to experience a natural recovery without extensive repetitive exercises, but, normally, they will need the recommended three hours of repetitive exercises daily. Educating a stroke survivor about 'Neuroplasticity' and the ability of their brain to create new pathways is the starting point and in my opinion essential.

AH, THE BIG PROBLEM

Here is the big problem!!

Attempting on your own to decide on a suitable program for your stroke survivor is a minefield and will usually lead to frustration and poorer recovery outcomes. Even when you know that a physical program of suitable exercises is required for recovery, there is no consensus as to which therapies should be chosen, what sequence they should follow, and how many of the therapies should be repeated every day.

I am asking caregivers, stroke survivors and healthcare Professionals to suggest suitable therapies that they feel would work well in a home environment and over the coming months I will discuss these in detail.

Let me know your opinion please.

Have a lovely weekend

Ken