Strokes occur when the blood supply doesn't reach the brain, depriving brain tissue of essential nutrients and oxygen. Brain cells can die within minutes, and memory loss is sometimes an unfortunate result. Since this symptom is most common in older stroke survivors, senior care solutions can include therapy and assisted living. Here’s a closer look at how the memory can be affected.

What Are the Symptoms of Post-Stroke Memory Loss?

There are different types of memory loss that can follow a stroke, including verbal, visual, informational, and vascular dementia. Verbal memory loss involves the failure to recall names, language, and stories. Visual memory loss causes difficulty in remembering faces, shapes, places, and items the patient has seen before.

Informational loss causes trouble learning new things, while vascular dementia is a cognitive condition that leads to an inability to think clearly. These difficulties can manifest as confusion, difficulty following instructions, and becoming lost in familiar places. 

How Is Memory Loss Treated?

Stroke victims and their families should be aware that symptoms can last for years, but memory loss can improve over time, either spontaneously or through therapy and medications. Many senior care communities provide programs that focus on brain-retraining techniques, such as card matching, speech-language exercises, and computer-assisted language therapy. Group outings to places like grocery stores can allow them to use cognitive skills in real-life situations. 

Family members play a vital role in rehabilitation and should make sure their loved ones are assessed and treated as soon as possible after a stroke. Successful treatment depends on an ongoing partnership between the senior, their medical provider, and their family.

Abbington Assisted Livdiing is proud to provide senior care throughout Columbus, Pickerington, Powell, Chillicothe, and Coshocton, OH. Abbington senior living communities are one-story buildings that are designed with comfort and security in mind, offering comprehensive nursing care services in a compassionate, comfortable, and cost-effective manner. Please visit our website or call us directly at (614) 451-4575 in Columbus, (614) 577-0822 in Pickerington, (614) 789-9868 in Powell, (740) 773-4630 in Chillicothe, or (740) 623-4600 in Coshocton.