
Leisure activities are an important part of life after a stroke. They can help stroke patients feel good, improve their fitness and well-being, and aid their recovery. Physical activity, in particular, is key to increasing the chances of regaining function. Even light activities such as walking or cooking will contribute to physical improvements and help prevent further deterioration. However, it's important to adapt activities to the patient's needs and abilities. For example, if a patient enjoyed gardening before their stroke, they may need to find creative ways to adapt this activity so they can continue to engage with it. There are also many indoor activities that stroke patients can do to aid their recovery, such as board games, art, and cognitive activities.
Arts and crafts
Drawing and Painting
Stroke patients can express their creativity through drawing and painting. These activities help improve fine motor skills and grip. Using different colours and textures stimulates the brain and can help with language recovery. For those with limited hand function, finger painting is a fun alternative.
Pottery
Pottery is an excellent activity for stroke patients with limited arm and hand function. Clay is soft and easy to work with, and sculpting can help improve fine motor skills.
Collage
Creating a collage by arranging objects, images, or other materials into patterns or compositions is a fun and accessible art form for stroke patients.
Paper Crafts
Paper crafts such as card-making, scrapbooking, or origami can be enjoyable and stimulating for stroke patients. They help improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Woodwork
Woodworking requires attention, problem-solving, memory, and sequencing skills, as well as fine and gross motor skills. It can be a rewarding activity for stroke patients who enjoy working with their hands.
Needlecraft
Needlecraft activities such as knitting, crochet, sewing, or embroidery can be beneficial for stroke patients with some fine motor movement in their hands. These activities require sustained attention, planning, and fine motor skills, all of which enhance brain function.
Flower Arranging
Flower arranging is a creative outlet that can improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It is a calming activity that can help reduce stress and improve mood.
Glass/Ceramic Work
Working with glass or ceramics allows stroke patients to engage in a creative and tactile activity. It can help improve hand strength and coordination while also stimulating their imagination.
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Physical activities
Physical activity is an important part of stroke recovery, helping to improve motor function, cardiovascular fitness, and bone density, as well as reduce the risk of secondary complications such as falls, fractures, and heart disease. Here are some physical activities that can be beneficial for stroke patients:
Gait Training
Gait training exercises are crucial to help stroke patients regain their pre-stroke levels of activity and improve their independence with daily activities. These exercises focus on improving walking ability and tolerance for prolonged physical activity.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is recommended to help prevent another stroke. It should be performed for 20-60 minutes per day, 3-7 days a week. This can include activities such as walking, dancing, or even just cooking, which contribute to physical improvements and help prevent physical deconditioning.
Strength Training
Strength-training exercises are important to reverse muscle atrophy, which often occurs during the hospital stay and recovery period after a stroke. Light weights or resistance bands can be used to perform exercises targeting major muscle groups, improving muscle strength and endurance.
Stretching and Range-of-Motion Exercises
Stretching and range-of-motion exercises are crucial to improve flexibility and prevent contractures, which are conditions of extremely stiff and tight muscles that can occur after a stroke. These exercises can include simple movements like calf muscle stretches, hamstring stretches, and trunk side stretches.
Balance and Core Exercises
Balance and core exercises are recommended for stroke patients at risk of falling. Activities like tai chi and yoga can help improve balance and prevent falls.
Functional Strengthening Exercises
Functional strengthening exercises focus on improving muscle weakness through repetitive coordinated movements. These exercises are often done in standing positions to challenge weight-bearing and improve bone density. Examples include stepping up and down on a stepper, standing toe raises, and lunges.
Cardio and Endurance Exercises
Cardio and endurance exercises are important for improving cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, which are a leading cause of death in chronic stroke patients. These exercises can include activities like walking, stepping, and lunges, performed at moderate to high intensity.
Group Exercise Programs
Group exercise programs, such as the Fitness and Mobility Exercise (FAME) Program, can provide social stimulation and motivation for stroke patients. These programs often include a combination of functional strengthening, balance, and agility exercises, tailored to the specific needs and abilities of the participants.
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Cognitive activities
- Listening to podcasts is a great way to keep the brain engaged and learn something new.
- Creating a podcast can be a fun way to document your story and recovery journey, allowing you to express yourself and share your unique experiences.
- Meditation has been proven to improve attention and mental flexibility, enhancing brain function and promoting relaxation.
- Speech therapy apps provide an extensive range of speech and cognitive exercises designed specifically for stroke patients, aiding in language and cognitive recovery.
- Short naps are beneficial for stroke recovery as they give the brain a chance to rest and recover. However, it is important to limit daytime naps to 30 minutes to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep, which is crucial for healing.
- Watching documentaries is an excellent way to keep the brain entertained and engaged while learning something new.
- Playing board games such as Scattergories, Jenga, and card games like War and Poker challenge strategic thinking, attention, and fine motor skills.
- Reading books, short articles, or magazines helps improve concentration and cognitive function. Starting with shorter formats and gradually increasing the length can aid in building confidence.
- Learning something new, such as a new hobby or skill, stimulates new areas of the brain. This can include learning a new language, acquiring a new skill like typing, or taking up a hobby like gardening or birdwatching.
- Engaging in creative activities such as arts and crafts, drawing, painting, pottery, or needlecraft helps improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while providing a sense of accomplishment.
- Playing or listening to music stimulates the brain and has a positive impact on mood. Playing a musical instrument can also improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Solving puzzles and crosswords, playing sudoku, or engaging in brain teasers and memory games are excellent ways to challenge and exercise the brain, improving cognitive abilities.
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Games and puzzles
Memory Match
Memory match puzzles are excellent for enhancing short-term memory. The patient flips over cards to look for pairs, stimulating the hippocampus, which is responsible for creating new memories. The game can be adapted to the patient's needs, starting with simple pairs and gradually increasing the difficulty.
Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-based logic puzzle that can be ideal for stroke patients who want a challenging activity to improve their cognitive abilities. It involves filling a grid with numbers so that each column, row, and section contains the digits from 1 to 9. Large-print Sudoku books or digital versions with touch-screen capabilities are available for those with impaired fine motor skills.
Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are beneficial for enhancing verbal skills, vocabulary, and executive functioning. They can help stroke patients with word connections, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Crossword puzzles are available in various skill levels, sizes, and fonts, allowing patients to choose puzzles that match their abilities.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are beneficial for stimulating both sides of the brain simultaneously. They help improve attention span, problem-solving skills, manual dexterity, and hand-eye coordination. Jigsaw puzzles can also aid in memory retention, cognitive thinking, and fine motor skills. They are a low-stress activity that can boost dopamine production, enhancing mood and aiding in concentration.
Word Searches
Word searches are similar to crosswords but are less demanding. They help with word recall, recognition, and perceptual skills.
Boggle
Boggle is a word-finding game where players connect adjacent letters to create words. It is excellent for improving language expression skills, and players can choose to play independently without time constraints to create a low-pressure atmosphere.
Card Games
Card games such as Concentration, Guess Who?, Dutch Blitz, Spoons, and Spot It! or Blink can help improve memory, attention, processing speed, and visual skills.
These games and puzzles can be adapted to the specific needs and skill levels of stroke patients. They provide a fun and engaging way to promote recovery and improve cognitive and physical abilities.
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Gardening
Physical Benefits
Mental Health Benefits
Being outdoors in nature has a positive impact on mental health, improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Gardening can help stroke survivors who struggle with anxiety, depression and anger, and can also aid with the mental challenges that come with recovery, such as grief, loss, anger, frustration and a loss of confidence.
Social Benefits
Practical Considerations
Before starting to garden, it is important to consider any adaptations that may be required to ensure the space is safe and comfortable. This could include widening paths, installing raised beds, or creating a wheelchair-friendly space. It is also important to stretch before and after gardening to warm up and relax muscles, protect the skin from the sun, and stay hydrated.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many activities that can help stroke patients with their physical recovery. These include:
- Walking
- Hiking
- Dancing
- Yoga
- Gardening
- Cooking
- Baking
- Playing an instrument
- Photography
- Knitting
Some activities that can help stroke patients with their cognitive recovery include:
- Listening to music
- Singing along to music
- Learning a new instrument
- Listening to podcasts
- Meditation
- Reading
- Playing board games (e.g. Scrabble, Jenga, Checkers, Uno)
- Playing card games (e.g. War, Poker)
- Puzzles
- Sudoku
- Chess
Some examples of occupational therapy exercises that can be used with stroke patients include:
- Self-feeding
- Opening a cabinet or drawer
- Turning the faucet on and off
- Picking items up from the floor or a table
- Applying toothpaste to a toothbrush
- Wiping down a countertop, table, or window