Advice please re what next following stroke

[notaflyingmonkey]

Mum has mild dementia, and is in hospital following a stroke. She lives on her own, but with a degree of support from me prior to the stroke.

What I don't know is what's next? (I am not going to be her full time carer). I have had a brief conversation with Occupational Health regarding her facilities at home etc but I just don't see how she could go back to living on her own, even with carers coming in (but perhaps her mobility will improve). I presume that she would have to pay for any care - does anyone know the cost of that?

She would absolutely hate to end up in a home, but I am struggling to see what the choices are, and being given no information or support from hospital.

The next step is your mum being assessed by a social worker as to her care needs, how much she would have to pay for this and how it might be provided.

Could she afford a few weeks in a home as 'convalescing' to see how she settled? My mum would have hated the thought of a home, but loved her stay in respite

She should have a review and discharge plan which can include funded care for a 6 week period. I echo the convalescence idea as being a good one- that may be funded if there are places in step down care- and the hospital will want the bed.

Thanks both. I think that convalescence is a good idea, not least of all because it is something that she will understand - and hopefully accept - and give me a chance to get whatever changes I need to made in the house.

Ask what her rehab potential is thought to be and how she will get that rehab.

Services immediately after stroke can be very good but they may drop away sharply when she could still improve. I strongly recommend ringing the Stroke Association, they are great.

We kept my grandma at home for 4 years she then had a stroke and we thought about a care home the one near us was perfect big bedrooms hairdressers good food lots of company seeing the home made me wish we had moved her in earlier but sadly she passed away just before we spent years living with my gran and caring for them my mum was house trapped unless the cares came it was worth it to see my gran happy at home but she was bed bound in the end for 3 years atleast in a home they could have hoisted her into a wheel chair to get outside or in the bath definitely have a think about it we don't regret having her at home but she probably would of been happier in a home with more attention and people her own age that she probably New

She is likely to need a period of rehabilitation to allow her the chance to improve her function. The team looking after her should keep you up to date with her progress and involve you in any discharge planning. It's hard to say what she will likely need, but lots of people live at home with various types of equipment to help them (from very minimal and basic, through to special equipment to help them stand, or even hoists). A word of caution about convalescence in a care home: in someone with dementia, multiple moves to unfamiliar environments can be unsettling and can lead to deterioration in mental/physical health. Also in a care home setting she might lose some of her skills, if the staff just do things for her. It's a very individual thing, so take the expert advice of the team looking after her as they will be able to advise what is best for her own situation.