Whether you are a spouse, son or daughter, sibling, in-law, or friend, your job as caregiver during heart attack or stroke recovery is an important one. It is also a challenging one. Caregiving can be exhausting, both physically and emotionally. Your loved one may be forced into the unfamiliar position of being dependent on others for things they once did themselves. Be as accepting and forgiving as possible. Do everything you can to simplify daily activities. And don’t try and do it all yourself. Seek help from family and friends. Support groups for caregivers can be just as helpful as support groups for heart attack or stroke survivors themselves.
Heart attack patients and those with heart-related chest pain often can’t handle all the tasks they once could. While coping with heart attack or stroke recovery, they may have to make dietary and lifestyle changes and manage a regimen of medicines. Stroke patients may have problems getting around and caring for themselves, as well as have problems with speech, language, and memory. Some patients with Peripheral Artery Disease, or P.A.D., may also have limited mobility.
Becoming a caregiver for someone during heart attack or stroke recovery may require a long-term commitment of time and energy. And, it can be a real challenge. Don’t try to go it alone. Involve a wider circle of family and friends to help you in your new role as caregiver. Help for those undergoing heart attack or stroke recovery can also come from your local community or medical and social services organizations.
Reducing future risk
Don’t forget that PLAVIX may play a vital role. The good news is PLAVIX is proven to help keep platelets from sticking together and forming clots. Which means it can help the person you’re caring for stay protected from a future heart attack or stroke.
PLAVIX starts working soon after the patient takes it and will continue to help protect them as long as they take it as their doctor prescribes.
If you are involved in heart attack and stroke recovery, these 10 tips for caregivers may help support you, as you supply the help they need.
- Learn as much as you can about the heart attack or stroke patient’s medical condition so you know what to expect, how best to help, and how to communicate effectively with his or her physician.
- Practice patience with the heart attack or stroke patient. Understand that the person for whom you are caring may also be feeling frustrated and burdened by their condition as they progress through heart attack or stroke recovery. Also, acknowledge that progress takes time.
- During heart attack or stroke recovery, accompany the patient on doctor visits. Your assistance may go beyond the drive to and from the doctor’s office. If he or she agrees, you could ask questions and take notes. Talk to the doctor about his or her condition, note any progress, and be honest!
- During heart attack or stroke recovery, patients may have trouble remembering all they need to do during recovery. Help keep track of his or her medicines (including PLAVIX), diet, exercise, and other day-to-day activities.
- Understand that being a caregiver for a patient during heart attack or stroke recovery sometimes creates a role reversal. For instance, if you are caring for an elderly parent, you may feel as if you’re the parent and he or she is the child. Be prepared to expect less and give more to someone upon whom you’ve always depended.
- Make lifestyle changes with the patient during heart attack or stroke recovery, to encourage him or her. Offer to be an exercise buddy, quit smoking at the same time, or develop healthier eating habits together.
- Go for training if the situation appears to require it. During heart attack or stroke recovery, if the patient for whom you are caring is going or has gone for rehabilitation, speak to doctors, nurses, or therapists at the facility about training in the proper technique for helping someone walk or get from a wheelchair to a bed, and how to help them with their daily activities.
- Cast your net among family and friends for help. The larger the social network the patient has, the more friends and family he or she has who may be willing to help during heart attack or stroke recovery. Or check out resources in your area such as church groups, support groups, and any agencies that offer services, such as home health-care or Meals on Wheels.
- Take time off. Caring for a patient during heart attack or stroke recovery can be exhausting. Take a break and try to get out and take care of yourself. Take a long weekend and find someone to stand in for you. Get plenty of rest and exercise and eat a healthy diet.
- Find support for you and your loved one. You may be feeling sad or blue. The patient you’re caring for during heart attack or stroke recovery may also feel this way. This is understandable. Having a medical condition is difficult, and caring for someone who has one is also difficult. As a start, talk to your family doctor and discuss your feelings.
What to do next:
See how different cardiovascular medications work using the Interactive Medications Chart
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