After a stroke: rehabilitation

In the first few days after a stroke, good nursing care focuses on assessment and preventing complications. Once the person is stable, the stroke team works out an individual rehabilitation programme (sometimes called a care pathway), designed around the person’s particular needs.

A stroke can cause:

paralysis or loss of muscle control, usually on one side of the face and body;
difficulty with language – speaking, understanding what people say, reading and writing;
blurred or double vision or loss of eyesight;
problems in thinking, memory, concentration and alertness; and
depression, anxiety, mood swings and extreme tiredness.

Rehabilitation is aimed at helping people regain as much independence as possible, by relearning skills they have lost, learning new skills and finding ways to manage any permanent disabilities.

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy helps with balance problems, paralysis or muscle weakness. The physiotherapist can:

develop exercises to improve movement and stop weak limbs becoming stiff and painful (spasticity);
help the person to sit up, move around safely and regain balance; and
make sure the person is in the correct position, whether lying, sitting or standing.