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Comments for 77 year old father had massive left hemisphere stroke
depressed and feeling hopeless


I suffered a massive stroke 3 years ago with left side paralysis. I have been screamed and yelled at because I didn't recover fast enough. Now I have been told this is permanent because I didn't apply myself. I sat in my recliner watching TV and playing on my computer. I am told I will never walk or recover. I did this to myself. Now I am consumed with depression thinking I have to accept being crippled.

Comment from stroke-rehab.com: It is never too late to start therapy! Even if you didn't apply yourself at first like you think you should have, you can apply yourself now.
72 yr old with left side paralysis from hemorragic stroke


Please help. My friend had this stroke 3 mid ago spent 40 days in a short term rehab/nursing home. The rehab was horrible the most she was able to do after being lifted outbid bed with Hoyer lift into wheelchair is march in place while seated in wheel chair. Could not have her transferred to rehab hospital as facility she was in told these rehab hospitals she could not do the therapy for 3-5 hrs day & did not make progress in their facility. Their goal was to make her a long term nursing home patient as I discovered in their notes that I requested. She is now home & receiving therapy at home 1 hour 2 times week. How can I get a rehab hospital to accept her & insurance pay. I think these nursing/ short term rehab facilities are not interested in rehab but in having a permenant resident & this is criminal on their part & insurance industry. It seems las thou the elderly are not receiving services needed. I had a social worker tell me if she was 40-50 yrs old she would receive the necessary care & be admitted to a rehab hospital. She is also now experience severe pain in left arm & shoulder.is this normal? I don't know how to get the treatment she needs.

Reply from stroke-rehab.com It definitely sounds like she did not receive adequate therapy. I would talk to her MD and let him know that adequate therapy was not received in the SNF and that the family is interested in inpatient rehabilitation. They could also call around and see what inpatient rehab facilities are most experienced with stroke and find one that might be able to accept her.
Only imagine your frustration


I am just experiencing the same situation. My mother had a stroke 3 months ago then had a smaller sub acute stroke 8 weeks later that seems to have put her in a very fatigued state. She was not eating and has had a feeding tube put in at the hospital then was released to another rehab. She was not doing very well and was very tired. Then they gave her Ritalin and she was more awake. After one week they put her in a 24 hour nursing facility (of course we are paying out of her funds and starting the medicaid application). I asked about therapy and I think they felt it was too soon to ask. I told them 5 weeks ago she was getting ready to walk and hasn't done anything since. Also they had her dying two weeks ago and now she is improving. They told me that physical therapy will get around to it. I can feel your frustration and I am only just getting into the process of long term nursing care.

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About the Author

Karen Murray, OTR, CHT, CSRS, is a licensed occupational therapist,  Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Certified Hand Therapist, and Certified Personal Trainer with over 29 years of experience working with stroke survivors in hospital, outpatient, and home settings. She founded Stroke-Rehab.com to help patients and caregivers better understand stroke recovery, find evidence-based resources, and regain independence at home.


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