What advice do you wish you could have given family and friends after your stroke?

Life after stroke can be daunting and the support and understanding of family and friends is crucial. But it can be a challenge to communicate how you feel, and to know what the future will look like.

Stroke survivor and GripAble ambassador, Kate Allatt shares 10 key things fellow stroke survivors wish they could have told their friends and family following their stoke.

Kate Allatt Post-stroke recovery looks different to everyone. The effects of stroke can vary considerably, and can include memory loss, cognitive impairment, emotional difficulties, balance problems, sight loss, weakness, and much more.

Whilst wrestling with concerns such as getting back to work, finances, and looking after the family, survivors are often having to remember how to carry out everyday tasks such as showering or making a cup of tea. Rehab can feel like a daily challenge and requires much determination and motivation. But with the right support and understanding from loved ones, progress is possible.

ADVICE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF A STROKE SURVIVOR

At a recent GripAble peer-support discussion for stroke survivors, we discussed what we wish we could have told our family and friends in those first few days, weeks, and months after our stroke, knowing what we know now.

Here are 10 things fellow stroke survivors wish they’d told their family and friends after their stroke: 1. Be patient and give me time – my recovery is a marathon, not a sprint 2. Focus on what I can do, not what I can’t do 3. Just because I look ok, it does not mean I am better 4. My journey won’t be a smooth continuum – I will make small gains over a long stretch of time 5. Don’t look back or forward, focus on the present and take each day as it comes 6. I won’t ever be my former self again, and that’s ok – for those of us that have experienced strokes brought on by stress, carrying on as we were would not be possible nor helpful 7. Don’t underestimate my abilities – stand up for my right to continue working if I want to, or support me in finding a new role that suits my needs 8. There is more to me now than there ever was 9. There will be good days and bad days – never give up hope 10. Everyone’s experience of stroke recovery is different – stroke survivors are all on the same journey, but in different vehicles, and on different roads.

We hope that these advice points prove a useful source of information and guidance for stroke survivors and their families. To find out about future stroke survivor peer support sessions, visit www. gripable.co or contact Kate Allatt at kate@kateallat.com.