Understanding Stroke Recovery in Kitchener Waterloo Region

The months after a loved one experiences a stroke are often challenging. It’s a transition that requires a new outlook on care, routine and priorities.

Additionally, seeing an elderly loved one undergo physical and emotional change is painful for the whole family. The shock of a single stroke is difficult enough to deal with, but stroke survivors need to be aware of the possibility of a second occurrence.

Immediate intervention, both physical and psychological, puts both stroke survivors and caretakers on the right path to recovery.

Stroke Statistics

With sixty-two thousand strokes occurring in Canada each year – that is one stroke every nine minutes, it’s crucial to remember that immediate care is the key. Stroke is a leading cause of acquired adult disability, but the good news is that 83% of those who get immediate care will now survive.

Source: Region of Waterloo

So what happens next? 

Rebuilding After a Stroke

Stroke survivors need sympathetic support when dealing with the confusion of going through the frightening experience of a stroke. Understanding the physical and mental exhaustion linked with the recovery process will make it easier to organize a practical plan for moving forward.

Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is one of three District Stroke Centres that support stroke care in Waterloo Wellington. In Guelph, you have St. Joseph’s Health Centre and the Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

As your older loved one enters the healing phase after a stroke, watch out for these common symptoms and stages. Plenty of innovative and affordable tools assist with each symptom.

Helping with Difficulty Communicating

Between 25 and 40% of stroke survivors experience a temporary loss of language due to their stroke. Your loved one has not lost any level of intelligence, even when their communication skills have temporarily decreased.

Only the pathway to language has become blocked. To ease your loved one’s frustration with not being able to express their wants and needs, figure out simplified ways for them to communicate through simple phrases, images, or symbols.

Helping the Elderly Deal with Fatigue

The rehabilitation following a stroke can be frustrating for those in the best of health. Especially with the added effects of medication-related fatigue, emotional exhaustion becomes common and understandable during recovery. When rest fails to provide necessary energy for the day, it may be best to seek help.

The healthcare team at Promyse Home Care is a reliable support system throughout the stroke recovery process. Our Personal Support Workers, managed by a Nurse Case Manager, deliver high-quality care. We provide care according to the needs of your loved ones—from daily visits to around-the-clock care, ensuring you have the support you need.

Helping with Emotional Effects of the Stroke

The shock and changes in your elderly loved one’s life can take a serious and immediate toll. Being patient and sympathetic with yourself and your loved one is important. Many stroke survivors experience some personality shift due to both changes in the brain and the emotional weight of what has taken place.

Remember that both the physical and emotional areas of the brain may have been affected by the stroke. Your loved one is still themselves, despite confusing changes.

Helping Loved Ones Stay Motivated

The mind is a powerful tool. Incorporate sentimental reminders and personal interests into your routine. Play your loved one’s favourite music during rehabilitation or exercises involving writing or moving objects around a table.

Organize favourite jewelry pieces into a box, help cook a favourite meal, or play a game. These simple acts remind you that you are moving toward independence and normality with each day.