Taking care of yourself or a loved one after a stroke can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re having trouble communicating, making decisions, or remembering things, or you’re struggling with immobility or risk factors like high blood pressure. When managing after a stroke becomes too much to handle, professional home health care can provide the kind of support and assistance you need. VNSNY’s highly skilled and trained professionals often work together as a team and provide a broad array of services.

Our professionals

• Registered nurses who work closely with your doctor to manage at-home care. During a visit to your home, a nurse will evaluate your needs as they relate to stroke and any other conditions you may have (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or swallowing problems) and develop a personalized plan of care for taking your medication, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol, addressing home safety issues, and managing your lifestyle; afterwards, the nurse will coordinate the delivery of services and revise your plan as necessary.
• Certified home health aides who can provide personal care (such as bathing or dressing), check vital signs (like blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates), measure your cholesterol and blood sugar, help you with exercises, and evaluate you for complications such as pressure sores, blot clots in the legs, or signs of infection. They can also shop for and prepare heart-healthy meals that may be prescribed by a dietitian, as well as assist with laundry and household chores.
• Home attendants (a.k.a., personal care workers) who can help with basic activities of daily living—bathing, dressing, grooming, walking, eating, shopping, paying bills, doing laundry, organizing your home to make it easier for you to access things, checking for safety hazards, and taking you to medical appointments.
• Licensed social workers whocan assess your physical, functional, emotional, environmental, and social needs and offer strategies and resources for support. Social workers can also step in and offer assistance if family relationships become strained as a result of caring for a loved one who’s had a stroke.
• Rehabilitation therapists who specialize in stroke therapy and can monitor stroke-related limitations and devise a plan for recovery. These include: physical therapists who can help you improve mobility, occupational therapists who can help you relearn how to perform everyday activities, and speech therapists who can help with communication issues and swallowing problems.
• Registered dietitians who will evaluate your nutritional needs, develop a healthy low-sodium, low-fat meal plan, teach you how to successfully follow dietary strategies that will help reduce your risk of another stroke, and suggest meal-delivery services if needed.

Getting the most from your care

The best way to make at-home care successful: Prepare for it in advance by making a list of responsibilities and chores you’d like the home-care professional to take on, so you can be sure you’ll receive the help you need and won’t forget anything that’s important to you.

It's also wise to map out a schedule for meals, medications, sleep, exercise, and other activities, and to compile a list of emergency phone numbers for doctors, as well as friends and family members who can help in a pinch. This way, everyone will have the same information and the same expectations.