Returning Home - Life After Stroke: Stroke

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Returning home

How soon can you go home after being in the hospital or rehab facility? What condition can you realistically expect to be in? The answers depend on the severity of your stroke, the areas of the brain it affected, and other factors.

Some people who've had a stroke can return home after a few days in the hospital. Others will not get home for many weeks if they need treatment in a rehabilitation facility. A few stroke survivors require long-term nursing care. For most people who have had a stroke, living at home is possible only if they can manage activities of daily living, such as dressing, eating, and using the toilet. You also have to follow medical advice and take prescribed medications. But you will probably need help even if you can perform activities of daily living. Don't try to do it alone, at least not right away. Plan on having a relative, friend, or home health aide stay with you for at least the first night that you're home and possibly longer. If you've been in a rehabilitation facility, chances are that someone in charge of discharge planning will visit your home ahead of time to evaluate what equipment and assistance you will need.

Before returning home permanently, it's a good idea for you to visit for a day or a weekend so that relatives or caregivers will have a chance to identify and correct potential problems. If you have trouble getting around the house, for instance, furniture may need to be rearranged, throw rugs removed, and handrails built. If you need a wheelchair, doorways may have to be widened and ramps or lifts installed.

Advice for caregivers

If a relative, spouse, or a close friend has had a stroke, you are affected, too. You miss the person's companionship and worry about his or her well-being. But you have a vital role to play in the person's recovery. You may need to offer practical help with the person's care, and you will certainly need to be supportive when your loved one's spirits fall. Your encouragement can make the crucial difference between rehabilitation results that are mediocre and results that are successful. When you step in to help, keep the following hints in mind:

• Take care of yourself by eating well, getting enough rest, and taking time to do things that you enjoy. Don't be afraid to ask for help from other family members and friends or to hire some help if you can.

• Make everyone's life easier by learning about and using assistive devices that will help your loved one do as much alone as possible.

• Take advantage of support groups and other resources for caregivers.

• Learn as much as you can about stroke and rehabilitation.

• Support your loved one's efforts to participate in decisions about rehabilitation.

• If your loved one has trouble communicating, ask your doctor or a speech therapist for advice. For example, speaking slowly and allowing plenty of time for a response can help. So can using pictures, photographs, gestures, and sounds or computerized communication devices.

• Ask to attend some of the rehabilitation sessions to learn how the program works. Make sure the staff suggests activities that fit your loved one's needs and interests.

• Encourage and help your loved one practice the skills learned in rehabilitation.

• Find out what your loved one can do on his or her own, what he or she needs help with, and what he or she can't do at all. Then try not to do tasks that you know your loved one can do without your help.

• Consider adult day care. A local adult day care program can be a good option if your loved one is living at home but has some degree of mental impairment. Adult day care can help give a few hours respite to a relative who is caring for a stroke patient at home. It would not be suitable for someone who is relatively self-sufficient.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008