How to Handle a Stroke

Roughly 6,500,000 stroke survivors are alive today, according to the American Heart Association. Stroke survivors experience a wide range of complications following a stroke. These complications can range from trouble swallowing to paralysis. Handling a stroke can present significant challenges, but you can take steps to better cope with them.

Instructions

• 1

  Begin to rehabilitate yourself. As a stroke survivor, you must relearn many of the skills you had prior to your stroke. Moreover, some skills cannot be relearned and you must instead learn how to adapt. According to the American Stroke Association, rehabilitation should begin as soon as your doctor deems you medically stable. Depending on the effects of the stroke, rehabilitation may be provided in an acute care hospital, long-term care facility, or at home through a home health agency or an outpatient facility.

• 2

  Find a support group. The rehabilitation process can be physically and emotionally draining. Joining a support group may help ease some of this burden. Support groups can provide tips and strategies for handling a stoke. Moreover, support groups offer a place where stroke survivors can socialize and make friends. You can find a stroke support group near you by following the stroke support link below. If you are not comfortable joining a support group but still want some of the benefits of joining a stroke support group, such as useful information and a listening ear, consider calling the Stroke Family Warmline. The Stroke Family Warmline is run by stroke survivors and experts in the field, and it is open to stroke survivors and members of their family. You can contact them through the link below.

• 3

  Remain mentally fit. In order to maximize your rehabilitation efforts, it is important to remain mentally fit. This includes being well rested and maintaining high self-esteem. The American Stroke Association recommends several ways to keep your self-esteem high as you rehabilitate. These include keeping a journal, taking time every day to do something simply because you enjoy it, and visualizing your goals.

• 4

  Explore your financial options. Rehabilitation can be expensive. Some universities offer rehabilitative services administered by graduate students at free or reduced rates. In addition, some federal programs, such as Social Security Disability Insurance, provide financial benefits to qualifying individuals. For a list of additional financial resources, see the link below.