Caring for a stroke patient at home

The recovery window is real

Most functional recovery after a stroke happens in the first three to six months. Consistent daily therapy during that period matters more than any single intervention later, which is why care at home has to be structured rather than improvised.

Positioning and preventing contractures

A weak or paralysed limb left unsupported will stiffen into a fixed position that is painful and very hard to reverse. Support the affected arm on a pillow, keep the shoulder from dragging, and move every joint through its full range daily.

Never pull a stroke patient up by the weak arm. The shoulder joint is unstable after paralysis and dislocates easily.

Swallowing needs watching

Difficulty swallowing is common after a stroke and can send food into the lungs, causing pneumonia — one of the biggest causes of death in stroke survivors. Coughing during meals, a wet-sounding voice afterwards, or food pocketing in the cheek are all warning signs.

Keep the patient fully upright for meals and for thirty minutes afterwards, and follow the consistency the doctor or speech therapist has advised.

Expect the emotional side

Depression after a stroke is extremely common and is often mistaken for laziness or stubbornness by the family. A patient refusing therapy is frequently a patient who is depressed, not uncooperative. Raise it with the treating doctor rather than pushing harder.