A stroke is a condition that leads to rapid development of brain functions due to compromised blood supply to the brain commonly caused by burst or blocked blood vessel. There are two types of stroke known as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. In ischemic stroke, there is obstruction to blood supply of part of the brain. This results in loss of function of that particular area of the brain. On the other hand, in hemorrhagic stroke, there is rupture of a blood vessel or some anomaly in the blood vessels of the brain. The blood vessel can rupture either inside the brain or inside the skull but outside the brain.

Home care for a stroke patient

No matter whether it is an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, the patient requires almost life long special care and rehabilitation measures. Almost no medical care unit is capable of taking that required care of the patients after certain period of time. Even patients feel home sick and loose compliance with the passage of time. It is for this purpose that we prefer home care and recovery measures.

Stroke rehabilitation is the process of returning to near possible life activities after having a stroke attack. It involves the mental and physical involvement of the patient in routine chores. It makes the patient learn to compromise with difficulties, avoid associating complications and educate the family members for their role and active participation in enabling the patient in getting back to normal healthy and active life style.

A rehabilitation team is multidisciplinary unit comprising of staff with various skills, work together to bring the patient back to his normal routine to the extent possible. The services required include:

• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Physician trained in rehabilitation measures
• Psychologist
• Pharmacists
• Social workers
• Nursing staff

In addition it involves neuro-cognitive rehabilitation and assistive technology including wheelchair, walkers, canes and crutches may prove useful.

Majority of stroke patients requires physical and occupational therapy in the first place. Physical therapy comprises of re-learning functions as transferring, walking and other gross motor functions.

Occupational therapy involves exercises and training to help relearn everyday activities like eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, cooking, reading, writing and toileting.

Speech and language therapy is effective for all those patients with problems understanding speech or written words, problem forming speech and problems with swallowing. Daily rehabilitation exercises should continue to be part of the stroke patient’s routine.

Effective nursing care is essential for maintaining skin care, feeding, hydration, positioning and monitoring mental status of the patient. Rehabilitation exercises should continue on a daily basis. Complete recovery is unusual but not impossible and most patients will improve to some extent; nutritionally balanced diet and exercise help the brain in self recovery. Without rehabilitation, improvement is not possible. Stroke rehabilitation aims at targeted and organized plan to re-learn functions lost in the shortest period of time possible. It depends on the type of stroke patient is suffering from. After the hospital stay, people usually continue with rehabilitation facilities at least for next 16 days at home and later in an outside facility. Most of the patients improve in this time span, the brain keeps learning new and old tasks throughout life.