Home Health Benefits For Stroke Patients

If you have suffered a stroke, you face some monumental challenges to regain physical strength as well as return to normal activities of daily living.  A stroke leaves almost no aspect of you untouched.  You may have physical weaknesses, lack of coordination, paralysis, balance problems, and numbness.  In addition, your speech, swallowing, memory, and reasoning might all be affected.  Home health is a resource that can help you adapt to your new circumstances.  

Adapting to Home Environment

After a stroke, your once comfortable home can become a minefield of problematic situations.  For instance, stairs can be difficult to navigate up with decreased balance.  If your bedroom is on a second floor, you may need to temporarily move your bed to a room on the ground floor.  

Similarly, if you now require a wheelchair, your home may need to be modified to allow wheelchair access.  Perhaps a ramp will need to be built at an entry point of your home.  

A home health occupational therapist can visit your home to aid in making your transition as easy as possible.  One suggestion is for you to visit your home briefly before leaving the hospital, so you can see firsthand which areas may present challenges to you.  

During home health visits, the occupational therapist may recommend other adaptations such as modifying your shower by adding a bar or removing the door as well as raising your toilet seat.  The occupational therapist might also create modifications to help you in dressing and feeding yourself.  

Making Physical Gains

Although you received physical therapy while in the hospital, your recovery from your stroke will take time.  If leaving your home requires a considerable and taxing effort, home health physical therapy might be the best option.  A home health physical therapist can treat you in your home to help you continue to improve physically.

Initially, the physical therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation to document your areas of weakness.  Then, after consulting your physician, the therapist will create a treatment plan. Typically, you will receive therapy 2-3 times a week for up to 12 weeks.  

Treatments will continue until you return to your prior level of function or are no longer making functional improvements.  

Regain Cognitive and Speech Losses

Many stroke patients have difficulty swallowing, coughing, and speaking.  Home health speech therapists can visit you in the comfort of your home to guide your rehabilitation.  Speech therapists also focus on cognitive deficits by teaching techniques to improve memory and reasoning.  

The Comfortable Solution

Home health is a beneficial tool that allows you to receive the therapy treatments you need without the hassle of leaving your home.

Speak with your physician or a home health care provider such as, Assisting Hands Naples, to find the right home health agency for you. 


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