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A Word
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Dr. Sharon... |
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Dr. Sharon says
We are pleased to tell you that our DVD “Stroke: Conversations and Explanations” has finally been completed and is available for distribution. Go onto the website (http://son.uth.tmc.edu/coa/ cares.htm) and you will be able to see a preview of the DVD and order a copy. I'm happy to report that it has been shown to over a 1000 nurses, physicians, and therapists. We are busy trying to educate health care professionals about stroke and its impact on survivors and their families. The DVD has also been shown on public TV in several states.
Please mark your calendar for the 3rd Stroke Survivor Conference. The theme this year is “Surviving Stroke: Nurturing Health and Hope.” It will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2008 to allow more working family members to attend. We are also moving the site of the conference to a central location, the Wellness Center, on Highway 59 near Memorial Hermann Hospital SW and Houston Baptist University . It is a lovely, handicapped-accessible location with free parking that we think you will enjoy. The keynote address, “Advances in Stroke Recovery” will be given by Dr. Stanley Fisher from The Methodist Hospital. We will be providing more information in our next newsletter. We hope you will plan to attend the best conference yet! |
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Resources for Stroke Survivors and Their Caregivers
What Types of Services do People Receive after a Stroke?
Immediately after stroke most stroke survivors receive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and if appropriate speech therapy. Depending on their ability to tolerate therapy and their insurance coverage, stroke survivors may spend time in an acute rehabilitation unit, a sub-acute nursing facility or a long term acute care facility. Some stroke survivors may be sent home to receive therapy either in their own homes or in an outpatient facility. The majority of stroke survivors are assisted in the recovery process by a primary family caregiver, usually the spouse.
What resources are available?
Resources are available for stroke survivors and caregivers from the National Stroke Association and the American Stroke Association, as well as from local health care providers, hospitals, and stroke centers in your community. We also maintain a website for CAReS related information at http://son.uth.tmc.edu/coa/cares.htm.
National Stroke Association
www.stroke.org
The National Stroke Association has information on stroke risk factors, prevention and recovery. It also maintains a national Stroke Support Group Registry, as well as providing the Discovery Circles Manual to help you start a support group in your area.
The National Stroke Association has partnered with Lotsa Helping Hands, a free, personalized online tool to give family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and others an easy way to help the stroke survivor and family, http://stroke.lotsahelpinghands.com.
An excellent and comprehensive guide, Hope: A Guide to Recovery is available for downloading free of charge at http://www.stroke.org.
In addition, the National Stroke Association publishes the STROKE SMART magazine, a publication, which comes out every other month, and is filled with inspirational real-life stories of survivors and their life-long recovery from stroke. The magazine also gives tips, ideas and suggestions on how to make a stroke survivor’s life easier.
American Stroke Association
www.strokeassociation.org
The American Stroke Association (ASA) is an affiliate of the American Heart Association. It also has a wide range of accurate, up-to-date information on risk factors, prevention, and recovery.
To talk with a stroke survivor or caregiver call the ‘WARMLINE at 1-800-4STROKE.’
The Warmline is a team of three people who answer calls from stroke survivors and their families.
The ASA maintains COMMON THREADS, a penpal network exclusively for stroke families. To register go to their website at http://www.strokeassociation.org.
A Support Group Finder is available on the ASA website, in addition to several online support groups and discussion boards. In addition, you can download the Successful Stroke Support Groups guide to beginning and registering your own support group.
Further, the ASA publishes the STROKE CONNECTION magazine 6 times a year. It includes in-depth information on conditions, such as aphasia, central pain, high blood pressure and depression and tips for how to cope, how to reduce your risk of stroke and how to make the most of everyday.
Stroke Connection and Stroke Smart, the magazines of the American Stroke Association and the National Stroke Association both publish personal stories. We hope that you will consider sending in your story.
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