Stroke happens when the flow of blood to parts of the brain is blocked. When blood can't reach certain areas of the brain, the oxygen supply to those areas is cut off and the brain cells die. Sometimes, blood vessels burst and blood spreads into nearby parts of the brain, which is called a haemorrhage.
When stroke first happens, the effects can range from mild to severe disability. The damaged area of the brain can cause various problems with a person's day to day functioning, which may be temporary or permanent.
The person affected by stroke, and their Carer, may experience a range of physical, mental and emotional problems as a result.
Depending on the kind of stroke, problems can occur with:
As a Carer looking after someone with a stroke, you could find that someone could have all or some of these problems, to different degrees of severity. These changes can affect the person's role in a family and change the way that a family does things. Carers and other family members looking after the person may need to take on tasks previously done by the person who has had the stroke. This could include tasks such as gardening, shopping, housework and looking after finances.
The person could also now need help with personal care tasks they could once do for themselves, such as showering, toileting, dressing, and eating. The work arrangements of both the Carer and the person could also change, depending on the needs of the person who has had the stroke. The stroke survivor may have to give up their job, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
This can result in huge changes in the life of stroke survivors, families and Carers.
Carers of people who have suffered stroke may find that they need to talk to someone about adjusting to the changes in their life.
The Stroke Recovery Association of NSW is the main organisation that helps stroke survivors, Carers and families. They offer a range of services and support, which includes Stroke Recovery Clubs.
The Stroke Recovery Association provides:
telephone counselling;
Phone 1300 650 594 for more information, or see Important Links.
Email: info@strokenews.org
Important Links:
http://www.strokensw.org.au/
Information on this page is drawn from the website of Stroke NSW