Adjustment after Stroke – The Patient and Caregiver Experience
Adjustment after Stroke – The Patient and Caregiver Experience
Explore emotional changes and how to manage them. Learn about caregiver health along with managing stress and burnout.
Recovery From Stroke
After a stroke, patients and their caregivers are often left with many questions related to recovery. This educational video series developed by health care experts, patients and caregivers is designed to support you in the recovery journey and provide practical advice you can refer to again and again.
Video Resources for Stroke Patients and their Caregivers
In this video series you will learn about how to manage risk factors, the physical and emotional changes that you might experience and how to take an active role in your recovery. These six modules can be watched in sequence or by individual topic.
These videos were developed by Sinai Health’s Bridgepoint Active Healthcare, a rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital that has achieved Stroke Distinction three times, most recently in 2019. Stroke Distinction helps organizations improve and stand out as leaders in stroke care.
Content
5.52 -> Having a stroke can be life-changing
8.92 -> and it can affect people in different ways.
13.34 -> Adjusting to these changes will take time.
17.48 -> You,
18.28 -> your family,
18.9 -> and friends
19.84 -> may now be adjusting to new roles,
22.12 -> routines,
23.06 -> and certain parts of life that may have been put on hold.
27.04 -> It's normal to feel grief,
29.08 -> frustration,
30.38 -> anger,
31.1 -> and sadness on your journey in getting back to life.
35.1 -> Everyone deals with having a stroke in different ways.
38.96 -> Talking with members of your health care team,
41.7 -> talking with other stroke survivors,
44.4 -> or joining a social,
46.18 -> recreation,
47.24 -> or exercise program
48.78 -> can help with the recovery process.
51.12 -> Each person plays many roles in life.
54.52 -> For example,
55.26 -> you may be a family member,
56.9 -> a friend,
57.68 -> or a co-worker.
59.32 -> It's normal to wonder if you will be able to fulfill these roles again
63.4 -> and return to your regular activities.
66.78 -> Over time,
68 -> daily routines and life roles
70 -> will change to suit your strengths
72.32 -> and abilities.
73.46 -> You will find new strategies
75.48 -> and other ways to help you adjust to these roles.
81.06 -> Stroke can also change how you feel about your body,
84.22 -> which may affect sexual feelings.
87.74 -> You may be returning to sexual activity
90.26 -> or finding new ways to express sexual feelings and intimacy.
94.52 -> You may not be ready to explore sexual activity right now.
98.12 -> It takes time to adjust
100.26 -> and feelings can gradually return.
103.44 -> You may simply enjoy being close to your partner
106.36 -> and can be intimate with touching,
108.36 -> kissing,
108.88 -> and hugging.
111.36 -> Share your feelings
113.02 -> and keep open communication
114.72 -> with your partner and health care provider,
116.82 -> like your doctor or social worker,
118.98 -> to overcome these challenges.
124.96 -> It's common after a stroke that you might be more emotional,
128.44 -> anger more quickly,
130.02 -> or show emotions that do not match the situation,
133.72 -> like crying when you aren't sad.
136.38 -> These emotions may be hard to control
138.7 -> and change quickly,
140.3 -> but should happen less as your brain recovers.
143.22 -> It may be helpful to let others know that
145.24 -> your emotions do not match how you're feeling.
148.66 -> They can also help you by finding a distraction
151.72 -> or talking things through.
153.42 -> If these changes and emotions are getting in the way of your life,
156.52 -> talk with your doctor to see what help is available.
161.98 -> Depression and anxiety can occur in up to one half of people who have had a stroke.
167.8 -> It can be caused by changes in the brain after a stroke
171.1 -> or may be a reaction to changes in your life as a result of having had a stroke.
176.28 -> Look for any changes to your appetite or sleep.
180.48 -> Have you lost interest in things or activities that you used to enjoy?
185.22 -> These can all be signs of depression.
189.06 -> Sometimes, others notice these changes before we do.
193.62 -> If depression leads to thoughts of suicide,
196.06 -> call your doctor,
197.3 -> a helpline,
198.42 -> or 911 right away.
201.68 -> Depression can be treated.
203.5 -> Treatment takes on many forms,
205.66 -> which can include counseling or medication.
209.34 -> It can be hard to talk about feelings, but it can help with your recovery.
214.6 -> Remember:
215.84 -> Feeling depressed after a stroke is not a sign of weakness,
219.34 -> but one more way that you can be affected after a stroke.
225.06 -> Family and friends often become caregivers
227.66 -> to provide help to someone after they have had a stroke.
231.36 -> Caregivers may have to take on new roles and responsibilities.
235.54 -> The caregiving role can be rewarding,
238.46 -> but you may have feelings of guilt,
240.48 -> anxiety,
241.56 -> stress,
242.38 -> or frustration about this new role.
245.06 -> All of these feelings are normal.
247.38 -> Change takes time.
250.38 -> Caregivers can put so much focus on the person who had the stroke,
254.48 -> that they forget to take care of themselves.
258.1 -> Caregivers may feel overwhelmed,
260.26 -> have difficulty making decisions,
262.14 -> or notice other physical and emotional changes.
266.34 -> As a caregiver,
267.44 -> it's important to notice when you're feeling burnt out or depressed.
271.9 -> Ask for support from your doctor,
274.6 -> a friend,
275.62 -> or a member of the health care team.
278.38 -> Sometimes people will join a support group for caregivers
281.7 -> to speak with others who have had similar experiences.
285.18 -> Take time to focus on your needs.
288.7 -> This could mean getting a massage,
290.86 -> meeting with a friend,
292 -> or even running an errand of your own.
295.78 -> Whether you have had a stroke
297.55 -> or are a caregiver of a person that has had a stroke,
300.78 -> there is help out there and you are not alone.
304.34 -> Share your feelings
305.78 -> and keep open communication with your partner,
307.98 -> family,
308.66 -> or other supports.
311.88 -> Join a peer support group,
313.8 -> share strategies,
314.98 -> and learn from each other.
317.64 -> Participate in a social,
319.52 -> recreational,
320.28 -> or exercise program in your community
322.9 -> and remember to work with your doctor,
325.4 -> social worker,
326.48 -> and health care team to help you with your emotional recovery.
330.92 -> Be sure to check out the next video in the series:
334.16 -> Function For Daily Living
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7EcAzU1UN0