Once your senior loved one is ready to go home to continue stroke recovery, you may find that he or she gets bored throughout the day. While your loved one was in the hospital, he or she may have been so busy with therapy and just trying to recover that most of his or her energy was spent. At home, your loved one has more time and should be feeling up to doing more. These six activities are adaptable to your loved one’s abilities, and they stimulate stroke recovery.
1. Enjoying a Sensory Experience
Sensory experiences fire up neural communication in the brain, and doing things that stimulate the senses helps seniors build new memories. Have your loved one smell different scents and try to guess each one with his or her eyes closed. You can also encourage your loved one to knead warm dough or try a new food.
A professional caregiver can help your loved one follow a safe, effective stroke recovery plan. Families looking for top-rated Edmonton elder care providers can reach out to Home Care Assistance. From respite care to specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care, there are many ways we can make life easier for seniors and their loved ones.
2. Exploring New Forms of Art
After a stroke, your loved one may lack the ability to do things such as hold a paintbrush. However, he or she can still enjoy making other types of art. For instance, your loved one can push pictures around on poster board so you can glue them down to make a collage. Running fingers through sand and making shapes with clay are additional types of art activities that help seniors regain muscle control in their hands while also enjoying the mental benefits of stimulating their creativity.
3. Interacting with Music
Music has positive effects on mental health when you choose uplifting beats. This activity allows your loved one to choose how he or she wants to interact. Your loved one can just listen and let the rhythm enhance his or her language abilities, and he or she can also choose to tap or sing along or play an instrument.
Elder care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.
4. Learning to Do Sign Language
Many older adults have difficulty with speech during the first days and weeks of recovery. However, they also may feel bored when their abilities are so limited. Sign language videos are available online and in other forms. You can pick up a book that teaches sign language and practice a new sign with your loved one each day. Alternatively, your loved one may enjoy watching videos and trying out new signs as he or she feels up to it. Either way, he or she will build new connections in the brain and find a way to communicate better at the same time.
5. Playing a Typing Game
Many seniors have learned to type over the years, but your loved one may find it challenging now. Typing by touch stimulates muscle memory in the fingers, and each word your loved one types helps him or her regain vocabulary. Look for simple games that are fun and offer motivation such as positive praise and in-game rewards to increase your loved one’s motivation to try this activity.
6. Getting Lost in an Audiobook
Holding a book may be difficult while your loved one is still weak from the stroke. Audiobooks can keep your loved one’s mind busy when he or she isn’t up to doing too much physical activity. Your loved one can also strengthen his or her receptive language skills just by listening.
Certain age-related conditions can make it more challenging for seniors to age in place safely and comfortably, but Edmonton live-in care experts are available around the clock to help seniors manage their health. Whether your loved one is living with dementia or is recovering from a stroke, you can trust the professional live-in caregivers from Home Care Assistance to enhance his or her quality of life. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at (780) 490-7337.