April is National Occupational Therapy Month and it’s a great time to talk about what an aging parent or other family member may have to do following a stroke. Regardless of the severity of the stroke, there may very well be things the aging person will have to do, or even relearn how to do, in order to maximize their recovery process.
It can be extremely difficult watching an aging parent or other loved one struggling with even the smallest and simplest of tasks, but with the right support and elder care, they could possibly recover more than you might think at the moment.
What does elder care offer?
Elderly Care Beverly Hills, CA: Seniors and Strokes
There are plenty of different forms of elder care you might want to consider. One of the most popular is home care. After all, the majority of seniors in America today would prefer to remain home, if that’s possible.
And, with the extent of home care options, it is possible for growing numbers of baby boomers. However, due to the pandemic and other factors, the demand for home care has increased and the supply of providers has remained flat, or declined slightly, depending on where the senior lives.
A home care aide can assist an aging client with many basic tasks throughout the day. When a senior returns home following a stroke, he or she may have extreme difficulty just getting out of bed to use the bathroom. They may need a wheelchair or a walker to get around, and still that task could be incredibly tough, at least for a while.
An experienced elder care provider may also be able to help prepare meals, take the elderly client to the store, to a doctor’s appointment, play games with them, and even help them do certain exercises designed to restore some strength and mobility.
What does an occupational therapist do?
This wouldn’t be considered an elder care worker, but an occupational therapist would essentially work with someone recovering from a stroke to regain motion in their arms, hands, and other parts of their body so they can perform basic tasks once more.
It’s about being able to regain mobility in their hands, for example, or learning a different way to do things. An aging person may have lost the use of their dominant hand due to a stroke, and an occupational therapist may help them learn to use their other hand to do those basic tasks.
Elder care and occupational therapy may be essential to help a senior recover following a stroke. It could be instrumental at providing safety, comfort, and security during this difficult time.