Day-to-Day Living with a Neurological Condition

The first three months after a stroke is vital, the brain is like a new brain and is ready to learn and make new connections. This is known as neuroplasticity, after which the brain will return to a more normal state. During neuroplasticity improvements will be quite quick, when the brain returns to its normal state improvements will be slower, but you should still work on regaining function. Of course, there are varying degrees of how a stroke will affect different people, some will be able to regain a lot of function and continue a “normal life”, others may have a harder time recovering and will have to live with it long-term. These long-term effects may be restrictive and impact on your independence. There are lifestyle choices you can make to reduce the risk of another stroke.

• Exercise: Exercise with moderate intensity or as much as you can (aerobic activity, like walking or swimming).
• Diet: Follow a heart-healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, no/low fat dairy products, fish, poultry and legumes (mediterranean diet).

Meet with your doctor to discuss the above points and see what works best for you.

Living with Parkinson’s means you will need long-term treatment to control symptoms, and you may need to adapt the way you do everyday tasks. Everyone’s experience is different but there are things you can do to manage the symptoms.

• Exercise: if you are newly diagnosed you can try more vigorous exercise like running, cycling or team sports. If your symptoms are more complex or progressing, less strenuous exercise like walking, stretching or simple strength exercises may be helpful.
• Diet: eat a balanced diet containing all food groups to get the nutrition your body needs to stay healthy.
• Vaccinations: everyone with a long-term condition is encouraged to get a yearly flu vaccination. If you’re over 75 a Covid-19 vaccine may be helpful if you have a weakened immune system.

Consult your doctor for advice on the above to see what works best for you.

Managing symptoms and effects of MS can be done with medical and non-medical interventions. Symptoms are usually treated as they appear, and treatments differ for each person as the symptoms can cause different issues for different people. Working out the medical treatment that works best for you should be figured out with your doctor to ensure everything works the way it is meant to and to make sure it is helpful for you. Since MS is a lifelong condition, you may find that “lifestyle programs” help you understand the condition and how to live with it. These programs, e.g., Overcoming MS, can support you with a community of people who share their experiences and what works for them.

Keeping yourself as healthy as possible can alleviate symptoms and improve your mental wellbeing. Sustaining a good social life and relationships can help to keep normality and you may be able to find support from the people you have in your social circle. Avoid smoking and alcohol as they can aggravate symptoms. A healthy diet and exercise routine can help as well.

MND affects your motor neurones, which carry messages from your brain to your muscles to tell them what to do. This means that the muscles won’t receive the message to move, e.g., walk, talk, grip and breathe. The way symptoms start is unpredictable, and it is unlikely that you will have the same symptoms in the same order as someone else with the condition.

If mobility and movement are affected, you will need help with your care. You may need more than one carer as your symptoms progress.

In terms of speech and communication you can look into using different speech and communication aids. A notepad and pen can help, however, printed words or image cards, and technology can be used when your grip is affected.

If breathing becomes an issue, you can increase the number of pillows you use at night to avoid lying flat, you can try different breathing techniques or use a riser-recliner chair. It may be the case that you need mechanical breathing support, for this a visit with your doctor to discuss different options will be necessary and help you to understand which will work best for you.

Experiencing symptoms of dementia/Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming and frightening. It is normal to feel frightened in this situation, however, you should try to reach out to trusted friends or family and confide in them how you are feeling. You may find it beneficial to speak with a counsellor, therapist or spiritual leader. Hiding the symptoms or denying it can make people feel worse, as they may feel they are keeping a secret from people they trust.

It would help to be open and honest with your friends and family; some may have similar symptoms and be inspired to share as well. You should not be ridiculed for having these symptoms and should be encouraged to speak with your doctor. If you are experiencing symptoms of dementia/Alzheimer’s, there are many things you can do to help yourself. These include:

• Following a routine
• Using lists or a diary
• Keeping things in the same place
• Using a wall board or calendar
• Making to-do notes
• Organise your medication

You can also help yourself to communicate with others by:

• Telling people that you have dementia
• Checking that you understand what others mean by repeating what they said back to them
• Move to quiet spaces or get to a meeting area early to adjust
• Know your limits and plan for social events

Stay active and involved by keeping in touch with family, friends and your local community.

• Exercise regularly with walking, dancing and swimming
• Keep your brain active through word and number games, arts and crafts, music, and card games
• Get plenty of sleep, rest and relaxation
• Break things down into manageable tasks

You may find that technology can help you to manage your symptoms, by setting reminders in your calendar, having smart plugs that you can set timers on, or to let people know if something is wrong.

Diet and exercise are helpful at any time in life. Getting exercise can help improve mobility, increase strength, and promote overall wellbeing as it triggers the release of endorphins which can significantly reduce anxiety and depression. A good, well-balanced diet is also important. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to improved brain and heart health, and includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, no/low fat dairy products, fish, and white meats.

• Eat healthily
• Get health checks
• Don’t smoke
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Try to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Understanding that you need to adapt the way you live is important, you may need assistive aids. While this can feel difficult, it will help you to maintain your independence as long as possible. You should think of your future needs when looking at equipment as your needs may change over time. You may have to make physical changes to the living space, to create a safe and accessible place to live. Modifications like ramps, grab bars and adaptive equipment can make it easier to move and be a bit more independent.

As the conditions progress it may be necessary to get palliative care, which will try to alleviate symptoms and make life as comfortable as possible. They will attempt to relieve pain, provide psychological, social, and spiritual support for the patient and their family/caregivers. The person with the condition may find they need someone with them at all times.

Accepting help can be daunting, as you may feel that your independence is being reduced. Help can come in many forms, at the beginning of your condition, you might only need someone to check in on you, or to help you clean or do harder tasks around the house. As symptoms progress, it will become harder to complete day-to-day tasks, introducing new technology and incremental changes before the symptoms become too difficult to handle can make the transition much smoother and easier for you

.For friends and family, to support the person with the condition you can, if they are comfortable, join them for exercise or share healthy recipes with them.