Live-in Care For Someone Recovering From A Stroke
How can a Live-in Carer support someone who has had a Stroke?
Most Stroke survivors would choose to stay living in the comfort of their own home. Familiar surroundings are comforting and there is often a support network of friends and family locally. With full-time Stroke Live-in care support, you are provided with 24-hour care focused on your individual needs. You can tailor the Live-in service to ensure you are able to enjoy a high quality of life. Also tailor the service to maintain control and choice to live as independently as possible.
Strokes are sudden and life changing. Symptoms of Stroke can include muscle weakness, paralysis, and stiffness, usually down one side of the body. They can also include communication difficulties, pain, and fatigue. All of these can be safely managed in the home with the expert support of a Live-in carer. Your GP will give guidance and support to you and your carer about managing your symptoms. Your GP may also refer you to a physiotherapist to support you with your Stroke rehabilitation.
An Occupational Therapist can assess you and your home for any equipment needed for your personalised care. This will ensure your home is suitable for your needs and your Live-in carer can support you safely. Your Live-in carer will be experienced with all types of mobility aids and equipment. They will help you to manage the effects of Stroke and adjust to any new requirements.
Just some of the help a Live-in Carer can offer:
Support with personal care
- Your Live-in Carer will support you at times and in ways that you choose. This might include bathing, showering, dressing, and undressing and general support with your personal appearance. This may be help with shaving, hair care and make-up, jewellery, nail care, etc. Your appearance need not suffer because you’ve had a Stroke. Your Live-in carer will listen to your preferences and how you like things to be done and help accordingly.
Support with continence
- Accessing the bathroom, using the loo, or more complex support such as catheter and stoma care where required. Having a Stroke can result in a wide range of different problems relating to your bladder & bowels. We introduce Live-in Carers who have the right experience & training who know exactly how to help you. They will also be able to monitor and track any changes. Your Live-in Carer can support you to report any changes back to your GP.
Support with mobility
- A Stroke can cause muscle weakness or paralysis often down one side of the body and other issues with mobility. You may find it hard to move around easily. This can be frustrating, challenging or even prevent you from doing a wide range of different activities. Our experienced Live-in Carers are there to help you in any way they can. That might be helping you transfer, hoisting, or just being there to help give you confidence when you are walking. They will also be happy to help you with your exercises and ongoing rehabilitation. Knowing your Live-in Carer is there if you should fall or have an accident can help with worry. It will also give you and your family reassurance and peace of mind.
Assisting with medication
– Your Live-in Carer will be fully trained in the safe administration of medication. They will be happy to support you with ordering and collecting prescriptions. They can gently prompt if needed when medication is due and can support you with pain management. Your Live-in Carer can help you liaise with your GP if any changes are needed.
Domestic Duties
- The day-to-day running of the home, including hoovering, dusting, other light housework, and laundry. Some of our Live-in Carers also love gardening and will be very happy to help you in your outdoor spaces. They can also help you keep your bird feeders topped up. About two thirds of people have vision problems after a Stroke. Your Live-in Carer can also help in this respect. This might include reading recipes, labels, dealing with correspondence and helping with shopping online.
Preparing and Cooking Meals
– Prepared to your likes using fresh ingredients, ensuring you are provided with a nutritious and balanced diet. Our Live-in carers will welcome your input in the kitchen and cooking together can be an enjoyable social activity. Our fully trained Live-in Carers will also accommodate any special dietary requirements, including a soft diet. Problems with swallowing (Dysphagia) are common after a Stroke but this often improves. Your Carer can support you to look at assistive equipment which will help you remain independent when eating and drinking.
Companionship
– Chatting and watching TV or listening to music together. A lot of our Live-in Carers stay with their clients for a long time and become friends. Feeling companionship is a vital part of maintaining emotional wellbeing.
Pet Care
– Our Live-in carers will enjoy helping you take care of your beloved pets. That may include walking them, feeding them and arranging or supporting with vet visits when needed. Pets can be an amazing way of calming anxiety and reducing stress levels associated with many conditions including Stroke recovery.
Support to arrange and attend activities in and out of the home
- Visits to friends and family or attending places of interest to you. This might include National Trust gardens, shopping, community groups and clubs, visits to your hairdresser, etc. A Live-in carer will facilitate and welcome your loved ones to visit you at home
Support with your physical and mental health
– Rehabilitation is an enormous part of Stroke recovery. You may find you have to learn new skills and re-learn existing skills. Your Live-in Carer will support you with all aspects. They will help you with your daily exercises and ongoing physical therapy with support from your professional physiotherapist. They will support you to contact your local surgery for GP or district nurse input. Your Live-in Carer will be able to support and accompany you to GP and hospital appointments. An experienced Live-in Carer will understand the emotional impact that Stroke can have on their client. They will be sensitive to your needs and understand the challenges and frustrations you face.
Support with cognitive difficulties
– Your Live-in Carer can help if are suffering cognitive problems caused by Stroke. They will help you remember things such as important dates, appointments, and birthdays. You may also have trouble communicating and getting stuck on words. Your Live-in Carer can help you speak to your family, friends & professionals when you need assistance. They are also there to help understand and process important information, for example instructions from your doctor.
Finding the Perfect Carer for someone who has had a Stroke
At Access Care we pride ourselves on being a Live-in care recruitment agency who really care. We want to make a great match of Carer for all our clients. We know how much our Live-in Carers support and enhance the quality of life of our clients. Furthermore, it’s a pleasure to help make that happen.
We have been introducing professionally trained Live-in Carers to care for Stroke survivors at home for over 25 years. Many of our carers have a wealth of experience and have attended specialist Stroke training.
We will listen to your wishes and needs. We will talk to you to get to know you so we can try to find you a Live-in Carer with common interests and beliefs. This is in addition to the necessary care qualifications, skills, and experience.
We look for Live-in Carers who ideally have advanced experience of caring for clients who have experienced Strokes. They will have the necessary understanding and insight into the condition as well as the practical skills to support you. Our job is to present you with possible Live-in Carers to choose from. Your job is to choose one!
Stroke Resources you may find useful
The Stroke Association is a UK Charity. It works to prevent Stroke and to support everyone touched by Stroke. It also funds research, and campaigns for the rights of Stroke survivors of all ages. They have a helpline, an online community and run local and online Stroke support groups.
Different Strokes is a stroke charity run by younger Stroke survivors for younger Stroke survivors. They have a network of exercise and Stroke support groups, an information line and have family support packs www.differentstrokes.co.uk