Stroke Resources

On the Web

 

• What is Stroke? Types of Stroke, Treatment, and Stroke Myths.  Information and Resources from the American Stroke Association

• American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association Information on stroke, its effects, risk factors, treatment and a special section on stroke in children

• Stroke information page from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

• Stroke Information from the Mayo Clinic

• The Internet Stroke Center. Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, this site provides a wide range of information about stroke for patients, families, and caregivers as well as professionals and students:  stroke types, causes, treatment options, risk factors, warning signs.  It also includes a section on living with stroke, a stroke center directory, and drug trials registry.

• National Aphasia Association. A good source for information on aphasia (language impairment) including public education, research, resources and support services to recover lost skill.

• Resources for Adaptive Clothing A list of places to buy adaptive clothing.

• The Wright Stuff. A wide range of adaptive daily living aids from eating utensils to key turners to easy grip garden tools. Also carries mobility aids, arthritis supplies and caregivers aids at it companion site, The Write Stuff Home Healthcare Products.
• Bungalow Software. Therapist-designed speech and language therapy software for home or clinic.  Offers  modules to help patients with articulation, word finding, reading comprehension,  and cognitive therapy.
• Family Caregiver Alliance. Offers a national telephone hotline, online resources, and printed publications that serve as a central source of information and assistance to family caregivers in every state.

 

 

Stroke Support

 

• Find a Stroke Support Group near you. American Stroke Association database includes locations, times, and numbers to call for further information

 

Online

 

• The Stroke Network on-line support group

 

Social Media

 

• The Stroke Network on Facebook

 

Magazines

 

• Stroke Connection, published by the American Stroke Association

Books

There are many good books to help stroke patients, families, and caregivers understand and cope with the aftermath of a stroke. Here are several that I found helpful after my stroke, plus more recent books that have been recommended to me:

• The Stroke Recovery Book: A Guide for Patients and Families by Kip Burkman (Latest edition: Oct 1, 2010). Where I suffered a stroke nine years ago, I found only a couple of books written simply enough for me to understand. This was one of them. The author, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, summarizes the causes, complications, and types of strokes and then discusses recovery, rehabilitation, and prevention. A good starting place for those who don’t know much about stroke, the book’s simple, easy to understand language makes it accessible to patients as well as caregivers.

• Stronger After Stroke: Your Roadmap to Recovery by Peter G. Levine (November 2008). Written for stroke survivors, families and caregivers, this book provides easy instructions and an upbeat view on how to achieve optimal rehabilitation.

• Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver’s New Approach to Recovery from Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries by Madonna Siles and Lawrence J. Beuret MD (Jun 30, 2006). Part memoir, part recovery manual. Author Madonna Siles shares with readers the secrets of the rehabilitation program she designed to help her friend recover from a devastating stroke. With humor, warmth, and arresting honesty, Siles examines not only the patient’s recovery, but also the crucial role of caregivers–and the emotional, financial, and practical pressures they face.

• After a Stroke: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier by Cleo Hutton, RN (Jun 10, 2005). This book concentrates on the home recovery process. The author, a twelve-year stroke survivor and nurse, provides practical tips on topics ranging from communication to safety and personal care to emotional and intimacy issues.

• Rewire Your Brain, Rewire Your Life: A Handbook for Stroke Survivors & Their Caregivers by Bob Guns, PhD (September 2008). Research shows the brain is still capable of learning and changing despite stroke or aging. This book outlines a program to improve survivors’ capabilities up to 40% or even higher, even years after a stroke. It offers hope for stroke survivors who feel they have reached their limits.

• Family Guide to Surviving Stroke & Communications Disorders by Denis C. Tanner (July 2007). This book clearly describes the “big three” stroke-related communication disorders–aphasia, apraxia, and dysarthrias–and provides a guide for families and rehabilitation specialists to understand and respond to the needs of stroke patients.

• Stroke Free for Life: The Complete Guide to Stroke Prevention and Treatment by David O. Wiebers, MD (May 2002). Dr. Weibers, Professor of Neurology at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, lays out a simple to understand program for stroke prevention and treatment including a risk assessment questionnaire. The prevention section is important because those who’ve had one stroke are at high risk for another. The book is divided into four: understanding a stroke; assessing risk; lowering risk; and treatment and rehabilitation.