A stroke can cause permanent loss of function

The long-term effects of stroke depend on which part of the brain was damaged and by how much. Early treatment and rehabilitation after stroke can improve recovery and many people regain a lot of function. The most recent data for United States shows that after a stroke, slightly more than one third of people have a disability that has affected their daily activities.

Of the people with a disability after stroke, 88 per cent are cared for in households and 12 per cent in residential care. The most common types of disability after stroke are impaired speech, restricted physical abilities, weakness or paralysis of limbs on one side of the body, difficulty gripping or holding things, and a slowed ability to communicate.

If you are living in a household after a stroke, the types of people who can help you and your carers with recovery and long-term effects of the stroke include:

  • community healthcare professionals – such as your doctor
  • physiotherapists
  • occupational therapists
  • speech therapists
  • counsellors peer support groups

Any physical changes after a stroke will depend on which part of your brain was damaged and by how much. Changes in physical experience can include:

  • fatigue or tiredness – can be caused by physical changes or medication
  • but also mood changes
  • anxiety or difficulty sleeping incontinence – many types of incontinence can occur
  • but it can be caused by medication
  • muscle weakness
  • changes in sensations

If you have suffered a stroke, it is common to have changes in your mood and personality.

Some emotional changes may be caused by damage to the brain from the stroke, but you can also experience a range of emotions, as well as depression, as a response to the change in your situation. Depression is common in the first year after a stroke, but it is particularly common in people who have trouble understanding, finding words and communicating (aphasia) after a stroke.

The symptoms of depression include: losing weight or gaining weight

After a stroke, people can also have anxiety either on its own or with depression.

Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed

People who are anxious can: avoid situations that can cause them to be anxious. Personality and behavioural changes are also common and can include:

  • impulsiveness – can also include sudden
  • socially inappropriate actions. A stroke can change your thinking
  • also how you see hear feel the world

This can affect how you feel about yourself, your family and friends. Thinking and memory skills are also known as cognitive skills. Cognitive skills can be affected by your emotional state or tiredness, but a stroke can also cause different cognitive changes, including your: short-term memory – knowing what happened recently.

Perception is the term that describes how you see, hear and feel the world.

After a stroke, your perception can include changes to: vision – some people lose half their vision in each eye (hemianopia). For some people, the stroke affects the part of their brain that helps speaking, reading and communication.

Symptoms of these strokes may include:

  • mouth making speaking difficult (dyspraxia) reading writing problems caused by a weak writing hand or problems thinking or seeing

Having a stroke can mean changes to your everyday life. This includes changes in: your level of independence – you may need to rely on carers at home.

Stroke rehabilitation can help you to get the most out of your life after a stroke. The types of healthcare professionals who can help depend on the challenges you face. A good first step is to speak with your doctor or rehabilitation team and they can help you directly or refer you to other healthcare professionals.

Apart from your doctor, other healthcare professionals who can offer help after a stroke include: speech pathologists.

Home help and respite care can also be a great help for you and your carers

Staying connected with family and friends, or joining a support group with other people who have had a stroke, can also help with your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Physical changes after stroke difficulty with gripping or holding things restricted ability to perform physical activities or exercise swallowing issues vision problems Emotional and personality changes after stroke feeling sad most of the time feeling tired feeling worthless finding it difficult to concentrate finding it difficult to manage everyday life having difficulty sleeping losing a sense of pleasure in activities you used to enjoy losing interest in food or eating too much find it difficult to calm down feel worried most of the time feel frightened by intense panic have recurring thoughts that increase their anxiety irritability – reacting to things that would normally not annoy you aggressiveness – physical or verbal apathy or lack of motivation repetitive behaviour – becoming stuck in the repetition of words or behaviours disinhibition – tendency to say and do things that are socially inappropriate Changes to thinking, memory and perception after stroke ability to learn new skills ability to plan ability to problem solve attention – being able to concentrate and focus orientation – knowing the day and time feeling contact, pain, heat or cold on the side of your body affected by stroke judging distance performing certain movements even without physical disability (apraxia) recognising shapes and objects, or even your own body seeing or feeling things only on one side – which can cause you to bump into things watching TV or reading – can become difficult Communication after stroke weakness in the muscles that help speech (dysarthria) Everyday life after stroke living arrangements – you may need to move to residential care or modify your home sexual function and relationships your ability to handle complex skills such as driving your ability to work – if you were working before your stroke Support for long-term effects after stroke clinical psychologists neuropsychologists occupational therapists physiotherapists psychiatrists rehabilitation nurses social workers Where to get help Your doctor In an emergency, always call 911 Emergency department of your nearest hospital NURSE-ON-CALL (616) 555-0024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days) StrokeLine Tel. 1800 787 653 – for information on stroke treatment, prevention and recovery Beyondblue Support Service Tel. 1300 22 4636 Lifeline Tel.

13 11 14 SuicideLine Tel. (616) 555-0400 SANE United States Helpline Tel. 1800 187 263 enableme The Stroke Foundation - Get the information, tips & techniques to equip you in your stroke recovery.

Key Points

  • stroke can cause permanent loss of function
  • Early treatment and rehabilitation after stroke can improve recovery and many people regain a lot of function
  • If you have suffered a stroke, it is common to have changes in your mood and personality
  • symptoms of depression include: losing weight or gaining weight
  • People who are anxious can: avoid situations that can cause them to be anxious