5 Fantastic Activities for Stroke Survivors to Enjoy at Home

Once stroke survivors return home, they’re usually ready to begin engaging in activities that help them feel better and rebuild their skills. However, your senior loved one may need to find some new things to do that are more aligned with his or her current abilities. These five activities are ideal for helping your loved one find new interests that also support stroke recovery.

1. Learn a New Type of Dancing

Stroke survivors often need to rebuild their motor skills after returning home. Dancing strengthens muscles that are weakened after a long period of bedrest. Learning a new type of dancing also helps with cognitive functioning. Your loved one can learn many dances at home by watching videos, and dancing with a partner provides gentle physical support while testing out the ability to stand and move to the music.

Certain age-related conditions can make it more challenging for seniors to age in place safely and comfortably, but Sydney 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 care workers from Home Care Assistance to enhance his or her quality of life.

2. Start a Garden

Gardening is a simple hobby to start, since it requires little more than a pot, some dirt, and seeds. Starting a garden gives seniors a simple form of exercise they can modify to fit their abilities. For instance, your parent can put plants on a table until he or she is able to bend and kneel in an outdoor garden. Seniors can also eat the vegetables and fruits they grow, which helps them get the nutrition they need for enhanced brain functioning.

3. Play Online Brain Training Games

Several apps are available to help with memory, reasoning, and problem-solving during stroke recovery. Seniors can also find apps with exercises that help them regain the abilities to speak and write again. Working on these apps provides many hours of entertainment, which is especially helpful on days when your loved one may not feel up to doing more strenuous activities. Your parent may also receive a self-esteem boost every time he or she masters a new skill level.

Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home care workers who provide high-quality senior home care. Trust Home Care Assistance to help your elderly loved one age in place safely and comfortably.

4. Take Up Photography

Photography is perfect for seniors during each phase of stroke recovery. If your loved one is using a wheelchair, he or she can snap photos from a seated position while a carer helps him or her move around outside. Seniors who are able to walk may be inspired to get out and exercise each day when they use the opportunity to snap new pictures as motivation. For seniors who face difficulty with communication, taking a series of photographs can help them share stories about what they did that day.

5. Experiment with a New Style of Cooking

Meal preparation requires seniors to use several important cognitive skills. For instance, following a recipe requires using procedural memory, which is often affected by strokes. The brain also creates new synapses during the learning process, and trying a new form of cooking stimulates this type of neural communication.

If your elderly loved one is living with a serious medical condition and needs help managing the tasks of daily living, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a Sydney elder care agency you can trust. Our care workers are available 24/7, there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our in-home care services. If you need professional stroke care for your loved one, reach out to one of our Care Managers today at [hca_phone].