hope for stroke survivors and their caregivers
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Steve B.
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Steve B.'s Discussions
Please Support Stroke
2 Replies
Started this discussion. Last reply by Ronald D. Covert Aug. 15, 2008.
Do you Love me ?
Started Aug. 1, 2008
N.R.H.
Started Aug. 1, 2008
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Nothing can prepare stroke survivors and their families for the sudden, often catastrophic, nature of stroke. If you are the family caregiver for someone who has had a stroke it may be difficult for you to manage alone. The very nature of stroke causes a variety of impairments which can affect daily life, causing physical and emotional adjustments for most people. Finding a way to manage these new roles and demands can help balance the rewards and stress of caregiving. It is important to ask for help so you do not put your own health and well being at risk.
In fact, statistics from the Family Caregiver Alliance indicate that 76% of family caregivers need respite of one kind or another. Respite literally means a rest or break from the demands of caregiving. For example, respite can mean help with transportation, assistance with errands or meal preparation, in-home practical help that eases the daily workload, a few hours away from home to tend to personal needs, or simply a personal visit to lessen the isolation often experienced by stroke families. For many stroke survivors and family caregivers, respite may be a combination of all of these. Support is crucial, and allows stroke survivors and their families to stay focused on the recovery process.
Often times it is hard to ask others for help, or to know what to tell people who ask “What can I do to help?” To make asking for or receiving help easier, National Stroke Association has partnered with Lotsa Helping Hands to give family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and others an easy and immediate way to help as the stroke survivor and family adjust to the demands of stroke recovery. Lotsa Helping Hands, is a free, personalized online tool offered through the National Stroke Association website to organize a community of family and friends who want to help. With this private group Web calendar, people can see what help is needed and when, so everyone can pitch in to help make the recovery process run more smoothly.
Visit Lotsa Helping Hands Now
Additionally, StrokeLinks, a National Stroke Association pilot program, is currently underway in Birmingham, Alabama. StrokeLinks is the idea of stroke survivor Debbie Brantley and her twin sister Chrissie Brantley and is born of their own experiences of stroke recovery. This pilot program is based on the principles of the Support Team Network at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) 1917 Clinic, and is utilizing the new online tool to develop local StrokeLinks Teams. The program not only helps organize family, friends, coworkers and neighbors into teams, but also provides education so that the team can better help the stroke survivor and family. To learn more about StrokeLinks click here.
Other Helpful Links
Recovery After Stroke Fact Sheets
HOPE: The Stroke Recovery Guide
National Family Caregiver Alliance
Internet Stroke Center
National Family Caregiver's Association
Give Me 5!
To check if someone is having a stroke, ask the person to give you five:
WALK IS THEIR BALANCE OFF?
Things to look for or ask:
Are they able to stand straight and tall? Or do they slump to one side?
Do they appear to have lost strength on one side of their body?
Are they leaning to one side when they try to walk?
Are they veering off to one side?
Are they dragging the foot on the side they are leaning toward? Can they tell you whether they can feel the side that they are leaning toward?
TALK IS THEIR SPEECH SLURRED OR FACE DROOPY?
Things to look for or ask:
Are they having problems speaking?
Are they having problems "getting their words out?"
Do they sound like they have something in their mouth when they speak?
Are they saying the appropriate words (do their words make sense) when they speak?
Does one side of their mouth droop down?
REACH IS ONE SIDE WEAK OR NUMB?
Things to look for or ask:
Ask the person to raise both their arms up together. Does one arm begin to fall down?
Ask the person to squeeze your fingers with each hand; is one hand weaker than the other?
If you ask the person to try to hold something like a pen, can they do it without any difficulty?
Can the person feel you touch them on their arm? Lightly touch them on the skin of both arms, and ask them if the feeling is the same on each.
SEE IS THEIR VISION ALL OR PARTLY LOST?
Things to look for or ask:
Ask the person about their vision. Do they normally wear glasses or contact lenses, or do they normally not use either of these? Ask the person to try to describe any changes in their vision.
Is their vision clear?
Is it blurry?
Can they see everything in their field of vision? Does the person see everything or just part of the visual field?
Does the person see double?
FEEL IS THEIR HEADACHE SEVERE?
Things to look for or ask?
Do they have a headache? On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst, ask them to rate their headache.
Do they normally have headaches? If so, is this headache any different from their usual headache?
Does this feel like the worst headache of their life?
Does light bother or hurt their eyes?
Does a sound or loud noise make the headache worse?
What is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. However, research shows the public remains unaware of stroke's warning signs and the need for immediate medical attention, even if the symptoms subside. Call 9-1-1!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StrokersAnonymous/
St
Give Me 5!
To check if someone is having a stroke, ask the person to give you five:
WALK IS THEIR BALANCE OFF?
Things to look for or ask:
Are they able to stand straight and tall? Or do they slump to one side?
Do they appear to have lost strength on one side of their body?
Are they leaning to one side when they try to walk?
Are they veering off to one side?
Are they dragging the foot on the side they are leaning toward? Can they tell you whether they can feel the side that they are leaning toward?
TALK IS THEIR SPEECH SLURRED OR FACE DROOPY?
Things to look for or ask:
Are they having problems speaking?
Are they having problems "getting their words out?"
Do they sound like they have something in their mouth when they speak?
Are they saying the appropriate words (do their words make sense) when they speak?
Does one side of their mouth droop down?
REACH IS ONE SIDE WEAK OR NUMB?
Things to look for or ask:
Ask the person to raise both their arms up together. Does one arm begin to fall down?
Ask the person to squeeze your fingers with each hand; is one hand weaker than the other?
If you ask the person to try to hold something like a pen, can they do it without any difficulty?
Can the person feel you touch them on their arm? Lightly touch them on the skin of both arms, and ask them if the feeling is the same on each.
SEE IS THEIR VISION ALL OR PARTLY LOST?
Things to look for or ask:
Ask the person about their vision. Do they normally wear glasses or contact lenses, or do they normally not use either of these? Ask the person to try to describe any changes in their vision.
Is their vision clear?
Is it blurry?
Can they see everything in their field of vision? Does the person see everything or just part of the visual field?
Does the person see double?
FEEL IS THEIR HEADACHE SEVERE?
Things to look for or ask?
Do they have a headache? On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst, ask them to rate their headache.
Do they normally have headaches? If so, is this headache any different from their usual headache?
Does this feel like the worst headache of their life?
Does light bother or hurt their eyes?
Does a sound or loud noise make the headache worse?
What is a Stroke?
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. However, research shows the public remains unaware of stroke's warning signs and the need for immediate medical attention, even if the symptoms subside. Call 9-1-1!
I saw the Oliver Sacks video, He has some very interesting stories about post stroke and dementia. I guess you know about him and how the movie awakenings was based on some of his work.
I see you have downloaded two of my songs, the six vocals are from a demo tape of my daughter and her friend who formed a duo and performed in India, and in Australia. The first one is Sarah with my daughter Leah backing, the second is Leah with Sarah backing. I have always loved music and dancing. but since my stroke I get very emotional when listening to certain music, as reported by Oliver Sacks as a symptom of left temporal lobe damage. It is all so interesting, that we are not in control of our thoughts and feelings and changes in our brain, from a stroke can change the way we think, feel and experience the world.
Go Well..Stay Well...Peter
Do you read the stuff Oliver Sachs writes, or listen to his ideas on brain function. I am very into his ideas on music in post stroke sufferers and in dementia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU&NR=1
want me to keep commenting back on here? i get the same amount everyday. hard to get it down to 20 something. i type with one hand & 1 1/2 good eyes. do u know linda wheeler?
michelle
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