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Keeping My Mom Safe, Happy, and Healthy

How Assisted Living Facilities Benefit CVA Patients

23 January 2023

Lisa Sutton

Stroke patients often have specific needs that make living alone risky. A stroke is also called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and the neurological effects of a CVA can range from mild one-sided weakness to blindness and paralysis. If you have suffered a CVA and can longer live by yourself, consider the following benefits assisted living facilities can provide to help ensure your safety and peace of mind.

Preventive Skin Care Interventions

A CVA can cause urinary and fecal incontinence in some patients, and because of this, they may be at risk for developing skin breakdown problems such as decubitus ulcers. The staff at assisted living facilities can help lower the risk of incontinence-related skin breakdown by taking the CVA patient to the bathroom every couple of hours and as needed.

If the CVA resident wears adult diapers or an incontinent garment, the staff will quickly clean the perineal area after every incontinent episode so that acidic urine and irritating stool do not sit on the skin for too long and cause skin irritation and breakdown.

After the perineal area has been thoroughly cleaned with mild soap and water, a fresh diaper or incontinent garment will be put on the resident. Also, during incontinent care, the staff will inspect the stroke patient's skin for any signs of breakdown. If the skin is compromised in any way, the nurse will contact the primary care physician who will recommend the appropriate treatment.

Contracture Management

A stroke can raise your risk of developing contractures of the hands, arms, and legs. Contractures cause your ligaments and muscles to stiffen up, causing deformity and severe pain. Assisted living facilities can provide the CVA patient with a number of restorative and rehabilitative programs such as physical therapy and occupational therapy. These therapeutic interventions can help maintain the mobility of the muscles, joints, and ligaments, and may also help enhance circulation and flexibility. Physical and occupational therapy exercises can also help decrease the pain that may occur after a stroke, and they may also help prevent the development of painful muscle spasms. 

If you have suffered a CVA and you do not feel confident living alone, consider the above benefits of assisted living facilities. When your needs are well-managed by the assisted living staff, you may feel less anxious about your health status.  You may also be able to focus more on the things you love doing and you may be more motivated to socialize with the new friends that you meet in the assisted living facility.

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