Therapy After Stroke
According to the National Institutes of Health, a stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off or temporarily halted. When the brain is deprived of blood, even for a short time, damage occurs. Often, this damage is reversible with prompt, diligent treatment and supportive encouragement.
Treatment and rehabilitation after a stroke often includes relearning skills and behaviors that were lost during the attack. Physical and speech therapy can help people regain the use of their limbs and vocal capabilities. Cognitive therapy can help regain memory and retrain thought processes. Some stroke survivors must re-learn how to walk, eat and drink. While early intervention offers the best prognosis, in some cases, stroke victims must face the reality that life will look differently than it did before their stroke. This realization can cause fear, worry and depression.
In addition to physical and cognitive therapy, many stroke survivors and their families benefit from on-going counseling or psychotherapy. Talking about the fear, feelings of powerlessness and loss can help a person overcome the bottleneck of emotions that can occur after a life-threatening event by expressing them and grieving any losses. Counseling has been found to help individuals with many illnesses, including stroke and types of mesothelioma. A counselor trained in helping stroke survivors can help instill courage, hope and a sense of purpose. Because depression can hinder rehabilitation, counseling can improve progress and offer another avenue of healing.
Families of stroke survivors can benefit from counseling by learning how to cope with a loved one's new limitations and disabilities. Family members who become caregivers may feel extraordinarily responsible, anxious or frustrated. Talking about the emotions and thoughts that emerge during rehabilitation can help families cope with the increased responsibility without developing resentment, anger or other attitudes that can impede their loved one's progress. According to a 1988 study at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, caregivers who participated in a combination of education and follow-up counseling saw more stability in the family function better than caregivers who did not participate in the counseling sessions.
Rehabilitation after a stroke need not be a lonely, frustrating process. With professional help and support, victims of stroke and their families can find hope and healing.
Treatment and rehabilitation after a stroke often includes relearning skills and behaviors that were lost during the attack. Physical and speech therapy can help people regain the use of their limbs and vocal capabilities. Cognitive therapy can help regain memory and retrain thought processes. Some stroke survivors must re-learn how to walk, eat and drink. While early intervention offers the best prognosis, in some cases, stroke victims must face the reality that life will look differently than it did before their stroke. This realization can cause fear, worry and depression.
In addition to physical and cognitive therapy, many stroke survivors and their families benefit from on-going counseling or psychotherapy. Talking about the fear, feelings of powerlessness and loss can help a person overcome the bottleneck of emotions that can occur after a life-threatening event by expressing them and grieving any losses. Counseling has been found to help individuals with many illnesses, including stroke and types of mesothelioma. A counselor trained in helping stroke survivors can help instill courage, hope and a sense of purpose. Because depression can hinder rehabilitation, counseling can improve progress and offer another avenue of healing.
Families of stroke survivors can benefit from counseling by learning how to cope with a loved one's new limitations and disabilities. Family members who become caregivers may feel extraordinarily responsible, anxious or frustrated. Talking about the emotions and thoughts that emerge during rehabilitation can help families cope with the increased responsibility without developing resentment, anger or other attitudes that can impede their loved one's progress. According to a 1988 study at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, caregivers who participated in a combination of education and follow-up counseling saw more stability in the family function better than caregivers who did not participate in the counseling sessions.
Rehabilitation after a stroke need not be a lonely, frustrating process. With professional help and support, victims of stroke and their families can find hope and healing.
