Blog > Understanding the Role of Senior Home Care Aides in Post-Stroke Care

Understanding the Role of Senior Home Care Aides in Post-Stroke Care

You got the call that your mom suffered a stroke. Right now, your mind is being pulled in dozens of directions. You need to make sure her pets are cared for, but you need to be at the hospital making medical decisions for her. You’re not sure if any bills are due, and you also need to make sure that her fridge is cleaned out of any foods that are going to spoil. She’s going to be in the hospital until she’s stable, but then there is going to be a lot of rehabilitation ahead of her. It’s a lot to think about. Hiring senior home care providers could assist you with the many tasks ahead.

One of the first things to ask her doctors is what care she’ll need at home. Until you know the severity and chances of a full recovery, it’s impossible to make any decisions. Her doctor can guide you through what she’s going to need in the next few weeks, months, and years.

What Happens During a Stroke?

There are two main types of stroke. The most common occurs when there’s a blockage of blood flow to the brain. It’s usually a blood clot or build-up of plaque within a vessel. The other type occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.

Typically, if the blockage or damage is on the left side of the brain, the right side of the body loses feeling. If it’s on the right side of the brain, it affects the left side of the body.

What Care Is She Likely to Need?

If the stroke affected one side of her body, your mom is not going to be able to walk or use her arm well. It’s going to take physical and occupational therapy to get her strength and dexterity back.

She’s not allowed to drive, so one of your first tasks is to make sure she has a caregiver available to get her ready for sessions with her therapists. If they’re coming to her home, a caregiver needs to be available to let her in. If she goes to them, someone needs to help her to the car and walk her into the office.

Personal care tasks like oral care, showering, toileting, nail care, and skin care will be difficult for her to manage. Someone needs to help her get showered and dressed. She needs help trimming her nails, applying lotion, and brushing and flossing her teeth.

Your mom will need someone to clean her home, prepare meals and snacks, get her beverages, and help her with transfers and ambulation. She also needs someone to make her bed, change her sheets and towels, and pick up groceries and household necessities.

Arrange senior home care services sooner rather than later. The faster you have help arranged, the easier it is for your mom to transition at home. She’s going to need a lot of help with tasks she used to complete on her own. Make sure she has the help of family, friends, and senior home care aides to ensure she’s supported.