How to Better Communicate with Stroke Patients?

Stroke is a debilitating disease that badly impacts the lives of patients. It’s important to begin rehab as soon as possible following a stroke attack to better manage brain stroke symptoms. Speech therapy plays a crucial role in rehab as it helps them communicate better. 

Family members and caregivers who are in daily contact with patients recovering from a stroke know how important it is to open up the communication channels irrespective of whether it is through speech or writing. If patients have more resources and support, the chances of them soon being on the road to recovery are higher. Read on to understand how to better communicate with stroke patients. 

Tips to Communicate with Stroke Patients 

• The first thing is to understand that your loved ones cannot speak following an attack. However, that doesn’t mean they cannot understand you. With regular therapy, you can see a good progress in their way of communicating. 

• Make sure that communication remains the focus. Don’t expect that patients will be able to speak while doing another task simultaneously. Try to limit their conversations with just one or two people so that they don’t get overwhelmed with language. 

• Have patience. Understand that your loved one cannot recover overnight. Help them recover their confidence by fixing attainable and realistic goals depending on how much of communicative ability they have lost. In case they have totally lost their ability to speak and if they learn to say just one or two words, you can consider it as a significant progress. 

• Dedicate some time to help loved ones to practice exercises and skills. Be positive and have patience. 

• Whenever one tries to talk to them, make it easy to focus. 

• Make sure that communication remains the focus. Don’t expect that patients will speak while doing another task simultaneously. 

• Understand that loved ones cannot recover overnight. Help them recover their confidence by fixing attainable and realistic goals depending on how much communicative ability they have lost. 

Stroke patients need the right resources and adequate time to regain their lost language ability. They can take several months or years to learn to speak again, but it is worth the hard work and effort. With regular and consistent therapy, you can see a gradual progress in their communication abilities. 

Brain stroke symptoms should be addressed immediately and taken care of.