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Stroke Recovery and the Caregiver’s Role
By Dr. Helmi Lutsep
Stroke Patients Need Patience and Support
As a caregiver, you have a crucial role in the stroke recovery process. We know that stroke patients with involved caregivers progress better and have more positive outcomes. Because the process can be tedious, challenging, and at times, disheartening, encouragement and a hopeful attitude is key in keeping your loved one motivated to work hard. Sometimes patients go through rehab and therapy for the first few weeks after a stroke, make some gains, and then say, “I’m done.” But they’re not done – in most cases, they’ve only begun. They’ll need your support to keep moving forward.
How the Brain and Body Recover from Stroke
When a person who has suffered a stroke begins to recover, white blood cells go to the area of the brain that was injured and start to clean out and heal some of the abnormal tissue, and the brain begins to form new connections. It’s important for a patient to perform different types of therapies that will promote this brain repair.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapies can all be part of the recovery process. Exercises that encompass thinking and language are just as important as those that work on strengthening physical weakness.
It’s also helpful for the patient to do exercises that remind the brain to use both sides of the body, because sometimes the brain will ignore one side, especially the left.
Recovery is Definitely a Process
Initial recovery happens fairly quickly in the first few weeks following a stroke, but recovery then becomes an ongoing process that occurs over time. While we once believed that most of this process was finished within six months to a year at the most, we’ve now learned that recovery can continue for many years. Stay informed by continuing to ask the medical team questions about your loved one’s progress and needs.
Watch for Signs of Depression
Understandably, about 50% of stroke patients experience depression. But the severity of the depression doesn’t seem to correlate with the severity of the stroke; sometimes those who have had less severe strokes can suffer from depression. We think stroke affects the chemical transmitters in the brain that trigger the depression. Because your loved one may likely have difficulty speaking and keeping up an old routine, try to watch for any less obvious changes in behaviors and moods. Depression can interfere with the recovery process, but fortunately, anti-depressants often provide relief. Be sure to talk to your loved one’s doctor if you suspect depression.
Dr. Helmi Lutsep serves as the associate director of the Oregon Stroke Center. She received her medical degree from Mayo Medical School in 1988, and completed her residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, as well as her cerebrovascular disease fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Lutsep’s clinical area of focus is stroke prevention and acute stroke treatment.
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