EnableMe | enableme - stroke recovery and support

Doesn’t everyone deserve to feel happy in their intimate relationships? (regardless of a stroke!)

Sexuality can mean different things for different people e.g., intimacy, relationships, communication, sexual expression, sexual orientation, identity and roles, how attractive you feel and starting a family.

It can be a hard topic to talk about. In society, there are myths about how people are expected to behave. For example:

“older people are not intimate” or
“only men care about sex”
“people with disabilities are not intimate”.

We know that after stroke, people still want to:

feel good and look attractive,
be affectionate with their partner
be intimate with their partner
meet new romantic partners
talk about difficulties in these areas
and feel connected to others.

But stroke can make this very challenging

Many people have difficulties with sexuality after stroke.

For people with aphasia, it is hard to raise the topic.

Health professionals often do not talk about it.

And in Australia, less than twenty percent of stroke survivors receive information about sexuality after stroke as part of their rehabilitation.

If you have concerns about intimacy and sexuality after stroke you are not alone.

Talk to your health professional
You can also go to Stroke Foundation resources: https://enableme.org.au/Resources/Sex

Be part of our study! We want people with stroke and their partners to help us. Tell us what is important to include in a stroke sexuality / intimacy education package. You can find more information here (https://strokefoundation.org.au/What-we-do/Research/Research-projects-seeking-consumers

We can then help more people feel better about this part of their lives.

Certainly - intimacy and sexuality is a part of the bigger picture once home.

Thanks for the positive comments Susan - we know that most health professionals don't ask stroke survivors or their partners about intimacy or sexuality during rehabilitation. Often the reasons health professionals give for this silence is that they don't know what to say or what information might be helpful. We are hoping to change this through our research and would be delighted to hear from any stroke survivors or partners of stroke survivors about what is important and when services should be provided. Please do consider participating in our research - we won't be asking about your own personal experiences but rather asking you to advise us about key topics, which professionals should be addressing these topics and how the information should be provided. If you would like further information please do contact me at margaret.mcgrath@sydney.edu.au

This information is really helpful. I had left side stroke in April 2014, had 11 months in wheelchair and now walking competently, achieving 2 out of 3 left arm goals, nearly 3 and am really pleased. The Stroke has affected our intimacy, though have read the enableme info and is helping. Still waiting after 3 years to be fully intimate. My wife thinks she will cause some other damage,which is not true so we keep progressing together,it's a long patient road!!.

Hee hee, this made me laugh as it reminded me of when I first had my stroke. I never received any rehab etc following my stroke so I was googling everything I could. On of the first things I checked up on was how long after a stoek could I have sex (it was the second thing after when would I be allowed to drive). My husband went to work and told his workmates about my research and they made out like he was a hero. He thought it was quite funny when I became indignant abut that and said surely it make me the hero not him. The things we find humour in :)

Doesn't everyone deserve to feel happy in thier intimate relationships ? (regardless of stroke!)

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