Stroke care

A stroke affects everybody differently and we understand that it will have a profound effect on your life and the lives of your family and friends.

Agincare’s excellent reputation for providing high quality and person-centred stroke care is achieved through not having a ‘one size fits all’ approach to our service provision. Our ethos is to provide a holistic service, which enables you to maintain full control of your care so that it fits around your chosen lifestyle and preferences.

Our experience in this sector has meant that we are continually developing and adding to our already wide range of services and information sources available. Additionally, we ensure that each plan of care is bespoke and tailored to your unique requirements and that we undertake reviews of your care plan as and when your needs change.

This whole process establishes from the very start what you require with regard to not only your care and support, but also what is important to you including hobbies, cultural and religious preferences and your social and family commitments.

A stroke affects everybody differently and we understand that it will have a profound effect on your life and the lives of your family and friends. Specifically, when caring for someone who has had a stroke, we will work closely with you, your family and your healthcare professionals to jointly build a plan of care for you that is reabling.

This means that we focus on helping you to re-learn old skills and acquire new ones and will actively support you to adapt to and overcome any limitations. We do not just focus on the physical effects but the emotional ones too and we will help you and your family to engage with the local community support services as you choose.

Call us on 01305443115 to talk to us about how we could help you.

Stroke care training

All of our care and support workers complete the nationally recognised care certificate, which include the basic principles of stroke care. Specific client needs-led training is taught by internal and external trainers and/or healthcare professionals.

In addition to this, we have an internal Stroke Care training programme in place which includes the following topics:

  • Understanding the cause of a stroke and the range of effects
  • Cognition and active communication
  • Exercise, diet and risk management
  • Enablement and after care.

Our training department works closely with our Group Quality Manager, as well as local and national organisations, to continually appraise and enhance our training portfolio.

Types of stroke

It is important to understand that no two people are affected by stroke in the same way. Some people have only mild effects which improve in a short time. Others may suffer more serious and long term effects. There are four main types of stroke:

  • Ischaemic stroke – this happens when a clot blocks an artery that carries blood to the brain
  • Haemorrhagic stroke – is a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain
  • Subarachnoid haemorrhage – is bleeding into the space around the brain (the subarachnoid space), usually due to a burst aneurysm (a weakness of the blood vessel wall)
  • TIA (transient ischaemic attack) – is a mini-stroke; the effects usually pass quickly but a TIA must be taken seriously as it can be a warning sign. The effect of a stroke on a person depends on which part of the brain has been affected and how much damage has been caused

Our approach seeks to promote optimum recovery and future independence.

Suffering a stroke is a medical emergency and by calling 999 you can help someone reach hospital quickly and receive the early treatment they need.

  • Face – Ask them to smile, does their face look uneven?
  • Arms – Ask them to raise both arms, does one arm drift down?
  • Speech – Ask them to repeat a phrase, does their speech sound strange?
  • Telephone – Brain cells die every second.

Call 999 at any of these signs.

Effects of a stroke

  • Emotional changes, including sadness, anger and anxiety
  • Physical effects, including weakness, reduced balance and communication
  • Difficulty with senses vision, taste and smell

The Stroke Association is the leading charity in the UK changing the world for people affected by stroke.

More people than ever are benefiting from cutting-edge treatments and making full recoveries. And more people now understand the need to seek emergency treatment for stroke. The Stroke Association has been at the heart of every one of these developments, championing the cause of stroke and stroke survivors.

Call us on 01305443115 to talk to us about how we could help you.