When an aging adult has survived a stroke, the physical recovery is only the beginning. Senior stroke survivors must also regain feelings of independence and confidence. However, in the midst of attempting to achieve a “new normal,” the emotional aspects of recovery are often overlooked. A senior’s emotional wellbeing can be critical to recovery and should be addressed by family caregivers, the senior’s medical team, and anyone else involved in his or her care. Today, we’re going to discuss some of the emotional side effects of strokes and what families can do to help their aging loved ones address them.
Common Emotional Side Effects
Seniors who survive strokes often experience a wide spectrum of emotions, which can include fear of having another stroke, anger, and even apathy. Your loved one may feel as though his or her limitations make him or her a burden to the family, and he or she may also feel ashamed and embarrassed. This can result in your loved one withdrawing or even becoming reluctant to participate in beneficial therapies.
Issues with Adjustment
There are a variety of emotions your loved one may experience, and many of them stem from the adjustment process. Whether the physical impact of the stroke is short- or long-term, the road to recovery will be filled with challenges. Those who have always been independent may find it difficult to rely on help from someone else. Frustration can also arise if help is needed for seemingly “minor” day-to-day activities.
It’s important to be as patient as possible with your loved one, assisting with things that have become difficult or impossible to perform while allowing him or her to do as much as possible independently. If you feel overwhelmed and unable to adjust and provide care for your loved one, consider getting help from a professional caregiver. Specially trained in how to care for senior stroke survivors, in-home caregivers can facilitate quicker and safer home recovery.
Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Mississauga Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
Occurrence of Depression
As many as a third of stroke survivors experience depression post-stroke. Contrary to popular belief, depression doesn’t always occur immediately after the stroke. Some seniors report feelings of depression or sadness in the days following their strokes, while others report the same feelings weeks or months later, after they’ve begun to adjust to life at home.
A home caregiver can help you closely monitor your loved one for signs of depression while recovering after a stroke. Families looking for top-rated senior home care providers can reach out to Home Care Assistance. From respite care to specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care, there are many ways we can make life easier for seniors and their loved ones.
How You Can Help
Providing the right support systems will be critical as your loved one navigates the road to recovery. Along with being there to care for your loved one as much as possible and enlisting the help of friends and family, make sure to seek professional assistance as well. Trained in-home caregivers can take on daily responsibilities and give you peace of mind that your loved one is in professional and caring hands in your absence. Support from physical, speech, and occupational therapists can be extremely beneficial as well, strengthening your loved one’s abilities and confidence.
The recovery period following a stroke may at times become physically and emotionally overwhelming for you and your loved one. Recovering from a stroke, managing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, and a variety of other health-related situations can make it difficult for a senior to continue living at home without someone there to help. Mississauga, ON, live-in care professionals are trained to help seniors who need 24/7 assistance. With the help of a live-in caregiver, your elderly loved one can maintain a higher quality of life while aging in place.