Coping with the Emotional Response of a Senior After a Stroke
Elder Care in Warren NJ
A stroke can be an extremely stressful and upsetting experience in your elder care journey with your aging parent, but the difficulty does not end once your father is out of the hospital. For many stroke sufferers, a stroke is the beginning of a time of tremendous emotional turmoil, leaving them anxious, frightened, even angry, and less willing to be involved and engaged in the world around them. This can greatly diminish their quality of life, even reducing their motivation to take care of themselves, reducing their health and wellbeing and possibly increasing their risk of mortality.
Helping your aging loved one cope with his difficult emotional response after his stroke can help him to get through this challenging time, restore his mental and emotional wellbeing, and move forward into an active and enjoyable lifestyle.
Use these tips to help you cope with the emotional response of a senior who has recently suffered a stroke:
• Be patient. A stroke is a life-changing experience. Even if the physical effects are not lingering, this can be a sobering and frightening experience for a senior, particularly if he has not dealt with other serious health problems or medical events. Be willing to be patient with your loved one and give him time to grieve his life before the stroke and deal with the challenges that come along with recovery. Do not let this carry on for months, but give him his space and offer support and encouragement throughout the first days and weeks following the event.
• Evaluate the behavior. It is easy to recognize difficult behaviors after a stroke, but not all of these behaviors are the result of the stroke. Ask yourself whether these emotions and challenging behavior characteristics were part of his personality and behavior prior to the stroke, or if they really did come as a result of the stroke. This can help you to honestly evaluate the changes that have come over your loved one and know when it may be time to seek further intervention.
• Know your limits. Having frustrated, angry, or upset reactions to your parent’s behavior and emotional response will only intensify the response and make it more difficult for your parent and for you. If you are feeling pushed to your limits by the new challenges and demands brought on by your senior’s stroke, do not allow your own emotional response to negatively impact his journey through recovery. Consider hiring a caregiver who can step in and provide extra care, support, and assistance so that you can have time for yourself while also ensuring that your father gets everything that he needs. This will not only make you stronger, but it will also relieve him of the further stress caused by your stress.
• Encourage him. Make sure that he knows that you are there for him and that you want him to be happy, healthy, and safe throughout the rest of his aging years. Encourage him to talk to you about what he is feeling and do what you can to ease his stress, address his fears, and make him feel capable of carrying forward with an engaged and active lifestyle.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional elder care services in Warren NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us Today (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534
Source: http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/LifeAfterStroke/ForFamilyCaregivers/Especially-for-Caregivers-Emotions-and-Behavior-After-Stroke_UCM_312395_Article.jsp#.VrOIFiorLIU
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