Stroke Support Group

A stroke is a life-changing event that can affect your emotional well-being as much as your physical function. Meeting with others who are coping with a stroke lets you get out and share experiences, exchange information and forge new friendships.

Support groups provide occasional guest speakers, educational information regarding current stroke news, available resources within the community and social opportunities. Members will share their experiences, successes, problems and concerns about a stroke, and how the individual and family have coped with it.

• Eau Claire: The group is held from 2–3:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at 3D Community Health, 2103 Heights Drive. Call 715-838-3591 for more information.  
• Mankato: The group is held from 4:30–6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Mayo Clinic Health System, 1025 Marsh St., Room 2022. Enter through Hospital Entrance 3 and take the elevator to the second floor. Call 507-594-7165 for more information.

Stroke Recovery

Following emergency treatment, stroke care focuses on helping regain your strength, recover as much function as possible and return to independent living. The impact of your stroke depends on the area of the brain involved and the amount of tissue damaged.

If your stroke affected the right side of your brain, your movement and sensation on the left side of your body may be affected. If your stroke damaged the brain tissue on the left side of your brain, your movement and sensation on the right side of your body may be impacted. Brain damage to the left side of your brain may cause speech and language disorders.

In addition, if you've had a stroke, you may have problems with breathing, swallowing, balancing and vision.

Most stroke survivors receive treatment in a rehabilitation program. Your care team will recommend the most rigorous therapy program you can handle based on your age, overall health and your degree of disability from your stroke. Your lifestyle, interests and priorities, and the availability of family members or other caregivers will also be taken into consideration.

Depending on your condition, your treatment team may include:

• Doctor trained in brain conditions (neurologist)
• Rehabilitation doctor (physiatrist)
• Nurse
• Dietitian
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Speech therapist
• Social worker
• Psychologist or psychiatrist
• Chaplain