Here are some of the best things to know as a stroke survivor: 

1. It’s up to you to prevent your next stroke
2. Use your affected side or lose its potential to improve
3. Check in with your occupational or physical therapist yearly
4. Consider adaptive solutions to engage in work and hobbies
5. Market your ideas to benefit the stroke survivor community

The Best Tips for Stroke Survivors to Maximize Recovery and Participation

Navigating life after stroke is daunting, to say the least. In addition to
changing your body and mind, a stroke can alter the way you engage in work,
leisure, and social activities. Because the effects of stroke are varied and
far-reaching, it can be hard to find advice tailored to your unique situation.

It helps to have a good medical team in your corner for targeted suggestions.
Nevertheless, there are some pearls of wisdom that broadly benefit stroke
survivors. 

Here are some of the best things to know as a stroke survivor:
 1. It’s up to you to prevent your next stroke
 2. Use your affected side or lose its potential to improve
 3. Check in with your occupational or physical therapist yearly
 4. Consider adaptive solutions for work and hobbies
 5. Market your ideas to benefit the stroke survivor community

Prevent Another Stroke Through Lifestyle Changes
Having a first stroke increases your risk of having another. About 25 percent
of
people who have had one stroke will have a second
[https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.str.25.2.333], despite the fact
that most strokes are preventable through lifestyle and behavior changes. 

The American Heart Association recommends
[https://www.stroke.org/en/life-after-stroke/preventing-another-stroke] working
with your doctor to create a stroke prevention plan focusing on medication,
exercise, and diet. Stroke prevention strategies may include things like
consistently taking high blood pressure medication, walking outdoors every day,
and consuming less sodium.

Consider this: all of your progress can be erased in an instant by another
stroke. Minimize future risk and lay the foundation for a successful recovery by
making healthy choices now.

Use It or Lose It
Many stroke survivors who have been through rehab are familiar with the phrase,
“Use it or lose it”. This favorite saying among therapists describes the brain’s
potential to remodel itself after damage through a process called 
neuroplasticity
[https://home.neofect.com/blog/tips-for-unlocking-neuroplasticity-after-stroke-part-1]
.

Consistently practicing skills like walking, reaching, grasping, or functional
object use can develop new neural connections (pathways for brain messages),
resulting in improved performance. However, unused neural circuits break down
over time. Your therapist wasn’t kidding—if you don’t try to use your affected
side early and often, your brain will reorganize itself in a way that will make
it much harder to regain control in the future.

Incorporate your affected side into your daily routine, even if it takes more
time. Ask your therapist for recommendations if you are unsure what skills you
can safely practice at home or how often. He or she can provide guidance on
activity choices, optimal postures and movement patterns, and frequency to
ensure you are relearning skills effectively. 

Check In With Your Therapist
Survivors who are dealing with side effects years after stroke can feel let down
by the healthcare system, especially if they are no longer in therapy.
Individuals who have completed a previous course of outpatient therapies may
feel like they have done all there is to treat their symptoms and there is no
point in going back. 

There are many reasons to see a therapy team throughout your stroke journey.
Your therapists can issue or update your home exercise program to ensure you are
maintaining function at home and not backsliding. They can assess for orthopedic
(bone and muscle) changes that can result from post-stroke weakness or
spasticity and prevent you from developing additional complications. Your
therapists will collaborate with you to incorporate your personal goals into
their treatment plan.

Many health insurance plans cover therapy visits; however, your provider and
home state can dictate what type and amount of services are available. Look into
your plan details to see if you are eligible for additional outpatient therapy
treatment, then discuss your concerns with your primary doctor. He or she can
write a referral for therapy if they agree that it is warranted.

Get Back to Work, Volunteering, and Hobbies
Depending on the effects of their stroke, not all survivors are able to return
to their previous job. If your medical team thinks you are able to return to
work in some capacity, consider vocational rehabilitation
[https://askearn.org/state-vocational-rehabilitation-agencies/]. These
professionals provide career assessment, counseling, and job placement services
to allow individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities to find compatible
occupations.

If returning to work is not an option, consider volunteering. Peer mentorship is
a rewarding opportunity for stroke survivors to provide ongoing advice and
encouragement to someone with a new stroke. Peer mentors are usually at least
one year post-stroke and must undergo training before being matched with a
mentee. Inquire at local hospitals or search online to learn more about how to
become a peer mentor.
[https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/peer-to-peer-mentoring/]

If resuming your previous pastimes seems impossible, look into them using the
keyword “adaptive”. Adaptive activities are altered to allow individuals with
physical or cognitive disabilities to participate. Options like adaptive sports
[https://www.disabledsportsusa.org/sports/adaptive-sports/],  accessible outdoor
activities, and supported conversation groups
[https://www.aphasia.org/?s=conversation&zipcode=&search_post_type=place&category=&state=&count=&sort-by=&sort=] 
are just the tip of the iceberg. AbleThrive’s online directory of adaptive
hobbies [https://ablethrive.com/activities/hobbies] is a great starting point to
review old and new leisure pursuits.

Share Your Tips, Market Your Ideas
Necessity is truly the mother of invention for stroke survivors, who often
develop unique strategies, tools, and solutions for everyday problems through
trial and error. Some have even turned their ideas into products and services to
benefit the survivor community.

Stroke survivor Rosanna Redding [http://onehandcan.com/] designed cooking
products to ease meal preparation with one-sided weakness. She now sells
inventions including an adaptive cutting board and jar opener on her website,
where she also blogs about solutions for cooking and crafting with hemiplegia.

Survivor Christopher Ewing spun his previous experience as a TV host to create 
Life After Stroke [http://www.thestrokechannel.tv/lifeafterstroke.html], an
online support group and resource network with webpage, podcast, and app
formats. Survivor Ella Sofia’s stroke at age 14 contributed to her decision to
become a habit coach and blogger, detailing strategies on how to retrain your
brain [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-HWP8LcCycox4OB1N2tXnw] on her website
and YouTube channel.

Think about your own solutions and passions as well as a platform to convey
them. Sharing your informed ideas may start as a fulfilling hobby that turns
into a second career!

The Big Picture
Physical health, work, and leisure were likely a part of your life before
stroke, and remain options after. Consider what areas you are currently
succeeding in and what you are lacking. Make an action plans with your
healthcare team or loved ones to tackle your new goals. Know that you might have
to put in hard work or approach things differently, but a productive and
meaningful life is within reach.