If your loved one has had a stroke, you already know the challenges they faced when returning home. While living independently after a stroke is certainly possible, support from a caregiver can offer the extra assistance and peace of mind that everyone needs after such a scary medical event. Fortunately, you can find that additional support by utilizing a home care agency that specializes in stroke care in Washington, D.C. Here’s how to find the best fit for your situation.
Benefits of Stroke Care in Washington, D.C.
Strokes can happen to anyone, at any age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 795,000 people have a stroke each year, with 610,000 of those people experiencing their first stroke. The risk of stroke does increase with age, as does the complications that can occur from the event. More than 60% of people who are hospitalized for strokes are over the age of 65.
Hospitalization is only the first step for most older adults who have a stroke. The next weeks and months are often spent in inpatient therapy settings, such as a skilled nursing facility or acute care stroke unit of a hospital. During this time, patients work with therapists to rebuild strength, endurance, and skills that they need to return safely home.
After intensive inpatient therapy, the older adult returns home, sometimes with minimal daily support. However, the benefits of in home stroke care in Washington, D.C. can include:
- Decreased chance of falling
- Decreased feelings of isolation, loneliness, or depression
- Increased peace of mind for family members
- Immediate response during any emergency situation
- Verbal and physical cueing for at-home therapy exercises or routines
- Transportation to/from follow up appointments
- Nutritional support
- Safe medication management
- Increased socialization
Finding Your Best Fit
If you or your loved one is heading home from the hospital or inpatient therapy center soon, now is the time to begin planning for a successful discharge that includes home care support. If you or your loved one returned home weeks, months, or years ago, it’s never too late to have the support of a home care agency!
When you are searching to find in home stroke care in Washington, D.C., here are a few questions to consider as you interview potential agencies:
- Do you have experience serving patients who have had a recent stroke?
- How do you make your care personalized to what my loved one prefers?
- Do you know how to prepare specialized diets recommended by my loved one’s physician?
- Do your caregivers offer transportation? Are they insured? Safe?
- Do your caregivers stay with their patients when the patient has a doctor’s appointment or outpatient therapy session?
- How will your caregivers communicate with my loved one since the stroke limited their verbal abilities?
- Can your caregivers communicate with me to let me know how my loved one is doing?
- I am my loved one’s primary caregiver, but I’m exhausted and need a break. Do you offer respite care?
- What are your current precautions given the coronavirus pandemic?
At CaringGivers, our team has extensive experience working with people recovering with and living with a history of strokes. We are ready to stand beside your loved one as they recover and offer them the personalized support they need to stay as independent as possible. Call us today to tell us more about your loved one so that we can develop a care plan tailored to their needs and preferences.