Making a Complete Plan for Stroke Recovery

If you or a loved one has had a stroke, returning to daily life can be a challenge. 

The rehabilitation process is a journey – for the patient and their caregivers, too. Although strokes are different for each person, the goal is the same: helping you get back to doing the things you love.

That’s why a holistic plan for stroke recovery is so important. As part of AHN’s Neuroscience Institute, Allegheny Valley Hospital (AVH) offers a specialized rehabilitation program to help patients regain what their stroke may have taken away from them.

Understanding strokes

A stroke, also known as a “brain attack,” happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or reduced. It is the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. Strokes can affect:

• Language – Speech patterns may differ from person to person, depending on where the stroke affects the brain. Some people struggle to speak or understand language (aphasia).
• Swallowing – Weak muscles may make it hard to eat or drink safely (dysphagia).
• Mobility – Some people experience weakness on one side of the body after having a stroke (hemiparesis).

A team approach

Through AVH’s brain injury-certified stroke rehab services, a patient will on average spend three hours a day, five to seven days a week in therapy. Most patients participate in rehab for about 15 days.

Your AHN rehab team may include:

• Physical therapists – Help with strength, balance, and movement.
• Occupational therapists – Focus on everyday tasks like bathing, cooking, or getting dressed.
• Speech therapists – Help with communication and swallowing skills.
  

Other team members may include dietitians, radiologists, nurses, and physicians. Working together, their goal is to get you or your loved one back home.

Setting goals for recovery

Goal setting is a major part of every patient’s plan from the very start of rehab. Experts at AVH focus on talking with patients about daily activities they enjoy that may have been impacted by their stroke.

Therapists will include exercises that may challenge patients to use the weaker parts of their body. Some therapy activities could include:

• Simulated fishing.
• Playing card games or bean bag toss.
• Making grocery lists.
• Getting in and out of a car.
• Recovering from falls.

While these activities may seem basic or easy to some, they are carefully designed to help individuals regain strength in muscles they use in everyday life.

Promoting progress through technology

AHN is constantly evolving in its approach to care through new technology and resources. AVH uses advanced tools to help patients recover from strokes, including:

• Electrical and functional stimulation for arm and leg strengthening. This process helps patients return to independence.
• Suspension systems to help patients with standing and walking exercises.
• Driving simulation tests to help patients return to driving in a safe, controlled environment.

Family and caregiver support

A stroke affects more than just the patient. Family members often take on new caregiving roles, which can bring on feelings of stress, grief, and uncertainty.

AVH’s STEPS program (Support, Training, Education, Planning, Success) helps stroke survivors and their caregivers stay informed during the recovery process. AVH’s stroke navigators – nurses that help patients transition back to their lives – also follow patients from the hospital to their home and ensure they have continued guidance and never feel alone on this journey.

Regaining quality of life

The goal of stroke rehab is to get patients back home doing the things they love. From the very first day at AVH, therapists focus on giving patients the tools they need to regain independence, stay active, and reconnect with their communities.

Learn more about how to get support, or how to help a loved one through stroke recovery and rehabilitation.