How does Occupational Therapy help after stroke?

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a change in blood flow to the brain. This could be due to a blood clot or blood getting into areas of the brain it shouldn’t be in. Most strokes happen because of a blood clot in the brain, meaning the blood can’t get to where it needs to be. Your brain uses a lot of nutrients brought by your blood, so changes can happen quickly if blood is not getting to where it needs to go.

Because your brain controls everything you do, there are many things that may become difficult after a stroke. Some people experience muscle weakness, tiredness, difficulty focusing, vision changes, personality changes, changes with memory or thinking skills, talking, and difficulty with daily tasks. Many people have a combination of symptoms but it depends on where the stroke happened in the brain.

Recovery after a stroke looks different for everyone. You cannot compare one stroke survivor’s recovery to another. Some people get back to where they were before within a few days and others can take years to continue to recover. This is part of the challenge with stroke recovery. No one can tell you exactly what the timeline for recovery is or how much recovery you will experience. Even though we can’t predict recovery, there are things you can do to help such as:

·      Early treatment of stroke symptoms. If you notice symptoms, call 911 right away

·      Early and intensive therapy

·      Focusing on small steps to independence

·      High repetition practice

·      Reducing risk of another stroke

·      Movement and exercise

·      Social Connections

What is occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy (OT) focuses on participating in daily activities to increase independence and recovery. Occupational therapists are trained in discovering what things are most important to you, identifying why these things are challenging and addressing these challenges to get you back to the things you want to do. OT looks at the whole person, their environment and what they want to do to get them back to the tasks that are most meaningful. This may include things like strengthening or stretching exercises, using equipment or other strategies to increase independence or modifying how something is done. In stroke recovery, OTs typically use a combination of all of these strategies.

Occupational therapists are an extremely important team member in stroke recovery. Research continues to show the best way to improve after a stroke is participating in tasks that are important to the stroke survivor. This is the best way to improve your mood, energy, arm movement and more. Occupational therapists are the experts in returning people back to the things that bring them joy.

Is occupational therapy the same as physical therapy?

Although there is overlap between occupational therapy and physical therapy, they are not the same. Physical therapy primarily focuses on strengthening weak muscles, especially in the legs to get someone to return to walking. Occupational therapists can also work towards standing and walking but they look at it from a different perspective. In physical therapy a stroke survivor may work on the proper way to move their leg to walk. In occupational therapy the same stroke survivor may work on walking and equipment to get something out of the refrigerator safely. Each therapist brings a different perspective to help the stroke survivor be safe and independent in their daily life.

What might you do in OT?

What you do in occupational therapy sessions depends a lot on what is challenging for you and what your goals are. Occupational Therapists focus on returning to daily life. Some areas you may focus on are:

·      Dressing

·      Going to the bathroom

·      Cooking

·      Getting to the store

·      Using your phone/tablet/computer

·      Handwriting

·      Cleaning around your house

·      Managing finances

·      Taking medications correctly

·      Reading

·      Returning to work

·      Other tasks that are important to you

After a stroke you may need to use multiple strategies to get you back to independence. You may transition back and forth between increasing movement in your arm to help with daily tasks and changing how you do things to make tasks easier. Changing how you do an activity does not mean the focus is not also on gaining skills back. You need to have consistent practice (modified or not) to improve with daily tasks. Relying on others to do daily tasks is one of the hardest things to unlearn and is one of the ways progress slows down.

When to start with Occupational Therapy

Many people see an occupational therapist early on after their stroke, often at the first hospital they are at. The focus of occupational therapy changes depending on what level of care you are in. In the acute care hospital, many times occupational therapy assesses whether someone is safe to go home or whether they need further rehab. If someone needs further rehab, that might be at a nursing facility or an inpatient rehab facility. The focus of occupational therapy in these settings is to get someone as independent as possible to go home. When someone is home, they may have either home health or outpatient therapy. The goal in home health is to get someone strong and independent to get back into the community. Outpatient therapy focuses on the individuals’ goals. If occupational therapy is not recommended, but you feel like it would be helpful, you can always ask your primary care physician for referral to occupational therapy.

The most significant change happens in the first 3 to 6 months after a stroke. This does not mean that recovery cannot continue after this point. People can continue to improve for years after their stroke. Some people will attend therapy for a while then decide to take a break. If you ever feel like things are changing for better or worse you can always return to therapy.

New technology continues to be invented to assist with stroke recovery. Some is more helpful than others. You can always connect with your occupational therapist to determine if a piece of equipment may be helpful for you.

How to choose an Occupational Therapist.

It is important to know that not all occupational therapists have experience working with stroke or brain injury survivors. Recovery for stroke or brain injury is unique. In neuro rehab, we are working on connecting your brain to your body. This takes different strategies than strengthening a muscle after an orthopedic injury. It is always okay to ask your therapist what their experience is working with people with a specific injury.

Stroke recovery can continue for months or years after injury. You want to have a team that is knowledgeable about your injury to maximize your recovery. Having a team of therapists whom you feel comfortable with and know how to help is very important to increase recovery. If you ever feel like your therapist is not a good fit for you, you are allowed to change providers.

Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Recovery?

Healing and adapting after a stroke takes time, patience, and the right team in your corner. You don’t have to navigate this road alone. If you’re looking for specialized, compassionate care tailored specifically to how your brain and body connect, reach out to Neuro Connections. Discover how neuro-focused occupational therapy can help you reclaim your independence and rewrite what's possible.

Schedule your free consultation with Neuro Connections today!