If someone close to you has suffered a stroke and you must now take care of them, you need to be ready for the tough road ahead, especially if they’ve suffered severe complications. You will not only be in charge of helping them take their medications and stay safe, but you will also have to provide them with emotional support. Don’t be afraid to take on this responsibility, however, as things become much easier when you’re properly prepared. Here is how you can take care of a loved one after they have suffered a stroke.
Do Your Homework
The first thing you have to do is start doing your research on the types of conditions someone can have after a stroke and how to attend to them. One condition you should pay special attention to is dysphagia, which affects over 50% of people who suffer a stroke.
Dysphagia is a disorder that makes it hard for people to swallow and forces patients to rearrange their whole diet. They may have to eat chopped up food, or it must be pureed to varying consistencies depending on the severity of their condition. Not knowing how to feed someone with dysphagia correctly could lead to serious consequences, including death. So, you will need to learn as much as you can about the condition to make sure that your loved one doesn’t suffer an incident.
One thing we suggest you start looking into is food and drink thickeners as they will become an important part of their life from now. If you’re looking for a great brand of food and drink thickener, check out the SimplyThick Facebook page.
Attend Therapy Sessions
You must attend at least a few therapy sessions. This will allow you to get a foundation on how to care for your loved one properly while avoiding important mistakes. You should also encourage the stroke survivor to learn new skills and not jump in to help if you see them struggling a bit. This is normal, and they will get a sense of satisfaction from re-learning old skills. This will also give them more confidence and a better outlook on life.
Only Do What You Can Handle
It’s also very important that you don’t take on too many responsibilities. You still have the right to have your own life, and if caring for your loved one takes up most of your time, you run the risk of burning out. Consider bringing outside help if you feel like you have too much on your shoulders, ask if someone else in your family or your loved one’s core group of friends can help.
Make Sure You Have Insurance Costs Under Control
Also, make sure that you know what will be covered by insurance and for how long. While most rehabilitation services will be covered, they won’t be forever, and some services may still need to be paid for out of pocket, like repeat doctor visits, for instance. Take the time to learn this in detail, and see if you’ll be able to handle those costs.
These tips should allow you to care for your loved one better and facilitate their recovery. Don’t hesitate to learn as much as you can about strokes in general, and speak with your parent, relative, or close friend’s doctor if you have any questions.
