When Julio experienced a stroke, his thoughts immediately went to his elderly mother. As her full-time caregiver, he was anxious about how he would continue to care for her while he was recovering from a stroke himself.
During his hospital stay, Julio’s care team recognized his unique situation and connected him with Kandu.
“I came home and I received a phone call from Kandu,” he says. He spent time talking to the Kandu team about his stroke experience and the challenges he faced.
Kandu Navigators Provide Support During Stroke Recovery
Like many stroke survivors, Julio found the stroke recovery process isolating. He was thankful that he could go to his Kandu Navigator, Melanie, for emotional support.
“Having somebody to talk to,” he explains, “it really makes a difference.”
After speaking with Julio, Melanie knew that Julio could benefit from extra support caring for his mother.
“Julio is a dedicated caregiver and spends most of his time caring for his mother,” says Melanie. “The stress and demand of being a full-time caregiver led him to deprioritize his health and miss medical appointments. We knew that if we could find him some help in looking after his mother, he would have more time to focus on his stroke recovery.”
With Melanie’s help, Julio found a part-time caregiver for his mother, allowing him more time to attend follow-up doctor’s appointments and physical therapy. It also freed up time for Julio to focus on other areas of his recovery, like his nutrition and stress management.
Prioritizing Nutrition and Independence After a Stroke
Because of his busy schedule, Julio had always struggled to maintain a healthy diet. After his stroke, healthy eating became a priority, but he wasn’t sure where to start. Melanie worked with Julio to develop strategies to improve his diet.
“Julio has limited time to prepare food. He can’t spend hours in the kitchen, and standing for long periods led to greater blood pressure fluctuations and falls,” Melanie says. “We brainstormed ways for him to make sure he is getting the healthy food he needs, while also considering the time he has available for cooking.”
Julio now enjoys learning more about cooking and figuring out ways he can have a more nutritious diet. “We’ve been discussing many types of nutritious food,” he says. “I try to eat as healthy as I can.” Julio’s overall health has also improved, thanks to Melanie’s help with nutrition. “I was also trying to control my diabetes,” he says, “and it is being controlled now.”
After his stroke, Julio experienced some weakness that was impacting his daily life. Melanie helped with strategies for preventing falls and safely increasing his physical activity.
“Julio wasn’t feeling confident when he was going out of the house,” says Melanie. “By ensuring he had access to the appropriate durable medical equipment, normalizing the use of such, and assisting with obtaining additional therapy and specialist referrals, we were able to help him get back to doing the things he wanted to do in the community and living a life he loves.”
Now, Julio is focused on managing his stress and using healthy coping skills he learned while working with Melanie, and he continues to see improvement.
Reflecting on his experience with Kandu and the timing of the support he received, “your team has been there since the first day,” Julio says. “You came at just the right moment.”
