Category – Treatment Tips

Stroke Information Made Simple

  • 7 Tips to Improve Neurofatigue

    Neurofatigue can be a bear to deal with, and it’s not like regular fatigue. It can be ongoing and cause both physical and mental exhaustion. It’s also really difficult to explain it to others who have never experienced it. People around you may say that you’re being “lazy” because you’ve been unable to get out of bed, but you know that’s not the case.

  • 5 Tools to Make Eating Easier

    As an occupational therapist, my goal is to help people be more independent and functional in everyday activities. One-sided weakness, decreased grip strength, dexterity issues, or manipulation issues can cause someone to have difficulty getting food from plate to mouth. Using adaptive equipment can make the process easier and less frustrating.

  • Managing Bowel and Bladder Problems

    Did you know that 28-79% of stroke survivors experience urinary incontinence? While different types of bladder and bowel dysfunction can occur post-stroke, incontinence specifically means that you have poor control of your bladder, your bowels, or both.

  • Returning to Work

    Returning to work after a stroke is a topic that I see mentioned a lot across social media. While the majority of strokes happen in people over the age of 65, strokes can and do happen to people of all ages. Per the CDC, 34% of people hospitalized for stroke were less than 65 years old in 2009.

  • Why Did I Come In Here?

    Two-thirds of stroke survivors experience cognitive changes, according to a 2015 article in the Stroke Journal by Tiozzo and colleagues.

  • The Stroke Recovery Pocket Guide

    I’ve been working on this free eBook for the last three months and I’m so excited to finally be able to share it with you all!

  • Mind The Gap

    “Mind the gap” is a phrase often used in association with the London Underground railway. It’s a warning to passengers to not fall in the gap between the station floor and the train car floor.

  • Neuro-Fatigue & The 4 P's of Energy Conservation

    Neuro-fatigue is real and it’s different than regular fatigue.

  • 15 Tips to Reduce Falls at Home

    Up to 73% of survivors experience a fall one year after their stroke, according to a 2019 Cochrane Review. Falls can happen for a number of reasons after a stroke. You may be dealing with the fear of falling, dizziness, balance issues, decreased movement and strength, visual changes, cognitive issues, or fatigue.

  • 6 Exercises + 3 Activities to Improve Shoulder Strength

    Proximal stability for distal mobility. You’ve probably heard that one before. It means that the muscles closer to the body have to be strong and stable so that the muscles farther away from the body can move.

  • The "S" Word

  • An Effective and Free Way to Improve Hand Function

    The most commonly asked question I get from stroke survivors is what equipment or strategies most improve hand function. This week I decided to make a video in addition to this article.

  • Strategies for Anxiety & Panic After Stroke

    This week I created a video on strategies to deal with anxiety and panic attacks after a stroke. I share my mental health journey, describe how your body reacts to anxiety, and provide you with quick, actionable tips to better cope with both anxiety and panic attacks.

  • Improve Outcomes with Mental Practice

    Mental practice, also known as motor imagery, has been used by athletes and musicians for years as a way to sharpen their skills. The technique has also been showing up in research on stroke rehabilitation.