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Stroke Community
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Home rehab
by Tressa999, Aug 06, 2006 12:00AM
This message is especially for bounceback and lahinva.
Since your loved one has been denied further treatment, you might want to consider a home program. I've started my husband on Dr. Rajul Vasa's home program (which I learned about from this site), and I'm so pleased with the initial results I intend to take him out of his residential rehab program so he can devote whole day to Vasa program at home.
Wish I had known of this program immediately after my husband's stroke, when he was being given six 45 min. therapy sessions per day, of which he could only make use of the first 5 or 10 min. of each session because of lack of stamina. With the Vasa program you work at first for just 5 or 10 min. out of every half hour ALL DAY LONG, and then gradually build up the length of each exercise session as the stamina increases.
Downside of program is that you'll probably need an assistant to help you help your loved one do the exercises, but only for a while. As the stroke survivor gets stronger they can do more on their own, so eventually they only need one person giving minor assistance.
I tried to help my husband alone for a couple of days, but it was too hard on my back and knees. First helper I hired was enthusiastic and cheerful, but barely stronger than I am. Second helper I've hired (through notice on community college bulletin board) is a large, strong, smart young man and my husband likes him, though he isn't available as many hours as I need him. I'm thinking of kidnapping him.
Since your loved one has been denied further treatment, you might want to consider a home program. I've started my husband on Dr. Rajul Vasa's home program (which I learned about from this site), and I'm so pleased with the initial results I intend to take him out of his residential rehab program so he can devote whole day to Vasa program at home.
Wish I had known of this program immediately after my husband's stroke, when he was being given six 45 min. therapy sessions per day, of which he could only make use of the first 5 or 10 min. of each session because of lack of stamina. With the Vasa program you work at first for just 5 or 10 min. out of every half hour ALL DAY LONG, and then gradually build up the length of each exercise session as the stamina increases.
Downside of program is that you'll probably need an assistant to help you help your loved one do the exercises, but only for a while. As the stroke survivor gets stronger they can do more on their own, so eventually they only need one person giving minor assistance.
I tried to help my husband alone for a couple of days, but it was too hard on my back and knees. First helper I hired was enthusiastic and cheerful, but barely stronger than I am. Second helper I've hired (through notice on community college bulletin board) is a large, strong, smart young man and my husband likes him, though he isn't available as many hours as I need him. I'm thinking of kidnapping him.
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The information on the website is a bit vague bcs she designs the program specifically for each person. You email her and send her videos showing how the person is doing with the exercises and she gives the next set of exercises when the person is ready. Your mom would certainly have to hire a helper 6-8 hrs/day for first few months.
My husband is not fully on the program bcs he had a stroke in another state and we haven't yet gotten home so I don't have access to my own computer. We'll be going home in a week or so and then I'll buy a web camera and I'll hire more helper hours than I've been able to get here. I haven't invested as much time in searching for helpers here as I will at home bcs we're leaving so soon and bcs I don't know all the best places to posts notices here like I do at home.
If your dad does follow the Vasa program, please let me know how he progresses.
Cardiologist suggested my husband see kidney specialist bcs of edema, low potassium, and some loss of protein in blood. So until kidney appointment he's doing only half the intensive program. But I still have to take care of him the rest of the time, which keeps me busy and tired.
Did your dad get accepted back into rehab? How's he doing?
When my husband was in acute rehab, the speech therapist used to ask him EACH DAY, "Where are you?" "Why are you here?" I though it was weird, but maybe the purpose was to help him remember his disability. He did try to get up by himself a couple of times in the first weeks. Just couldn't seem to believe that he couldn't do it.