My 83 yr old otherwise healthy aunt( still was driving and living alone ) had a stroke 4 weeks ago…brain surgery stopped the bleed , she was intubated and remained in coma for 10 days ,,,moved to rehab a few days ago… can’t swallow(had feeding tube); can’t speak ie onky can “ mouth” words and. Can’t move left side…she is either in bed or chair…what are her chances of any sort of recovery.,esp swallowing and speech ?
Hello Michael
Thank you for reaching out on EnableMe and I am sorry to hear of your aunt’s stoke. It is good to hear she has been transferred to Rehab and is receiving the ongoing support she needs.
Every stroke is different, and recovery can depend on many things. The location and severity of a stroke can affect everyone differently, so it can be difficult to generalise how much someone will improve. Rehabilitation is really important, so it is good to hear your aunt is in rehab at the moment. It would be helpful to know who your aunt is working with in her treating team. Given her ongoing issues this may include a speech pathologist as well as a physiotherapist/ occupational therapist for the difficulties she is having with her left side.
I would suggest that you and your aunt meet with the Speech Pathologist working with her and talk with them about your aunt’s speech and swallowing. They will be the best person to talk about her current state and her potential for recovery. Stroke recovery can be lifelong, so there is always hope that things like speech and swallowing will improve with input from her rehabilitation team.
We often talk with stroke survivors who are many years after their stroke, who find they are still improving in different areas. Stroke recovery is not always a straight line, and there can be times when people feel like they have stalled, but with motivation and therapy, can find that they can continue to progress many years following their stroke. Rehabilitation is really important, so make sure that your aunt is working with her treating team to achieve the best possible results. It can be helpful to focus on the goals she would like to achieve, to keep both her and her team on track. I am sure you will receive responses from others with lived experience of similar effects after their strokes.
Do reach out to StrokeLine if you have any further questions via phone on Ph. 1800 787 653 or our email address strokeline@strokefoundation.org.au. We are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEDT).
Kind regards
Siobhan (StrokeLine)