First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
Stroke recovery happens in ordinary moments: sitting up from bed, putting weight on the weaker leg while standing to wash, holding a cup in the affected hand. At home, those moments happen many times a day with help from the family, which makes the house the natural place to practise them. In Hirabaug, where many people live in older buildings of different ages and clinics are close by, rehabilitation is also about managing the trip to and from the doctor.
Read our guide to stroke rehabilitation for what stroke does and the principles of recovery. Here we describe how a home programme works for a patient in Hirabaug.
Practising the trip to the clinic
Many stroke survivors need regular reviews, tests or medicine checks, and several clinics and laboratories are clustered near Hirabaug Chowk. The trip involves several separate tasks, each of which can be rehearsed at home. Standing from the bed. Walking to the door with or without an aid. Getting down the entrance steps or into the lift. Sitting in a car or rickshaw. Waiting in a chair, then standing again.
The physiotherapist breaks the trip into these stages, finds the one that is hardest and works on it. A patient who tires after a flight of steps may need a rest on the landing built into the plan, and a person who becomes unsteady when turning needs turning practice before the trip. We also teach the family helper where to stand, which side to hold and when to step back.
What home rehabilitation includes
- Bed mobility and sitting balance. Rolling, sitting up at the edge of the bed and keeping balance on a chair.
- Standing and walking. Moving weight onto the weaker leg, stepping practice with support, and walking aids chosen to suit the rooms and the doorways.
- The arm and hand. Positioning, gentle movement and task practice such as holding, reaching and pouring, using household objects.
- Everyday tasks. Dressing, getting on and off the toilet, and moving between rooms.
- Family training. How to help with a transfer, how to protect a weak shoulder when pulling on an arm, and when not to help.
Stroke often leaves an older person with weak legs and poor balance, and the broader approach is described under elderly physiotherapy in Hirabaug. For help with pain or stiffness in a limb that has become tight, a physiotherapist may use hands-on work from manual therapy.
What the family can do
Recovery is helped by repetition, and the family provides most of it. Encourage the patient to use the weaker side in everyday tasks, even if it is slow. Stand slightly behind and on the weaker side when helping the patient to walk. Do not pull on the weak arm, because the shoulder can be injured easily. Keep walkways clear of loose mats and cables, and put a chair with arms where the patient will sit most.
Our article on recovering at home after a stroke adds practical detail. Progress after a stroke varies widely from person to person, so we do not promise a timeline. The physiotherapist will review goals at each visit.
Signs that need emergency care
A new stroke can follow a first one. Call for emergency help at once if there is sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, new difficulty speaking or understanding, a sudden severe headache, loss of vision or a fit. Chest pain, sudden breathlessness, or a hot, swollen and painful calf also need emergency care.
If someone at home needs stroke rehabilitation, request a visit. Learn more about home physiotherapy in Hirabaug on our area page.