After a stroke a third of people become clinical depressed but testing and treating of depression post-strok can help improve functioning.
Research has found that individuals who remain depressed three months after a stroke are more likely to have decreased functional capabilities (e.g. dressing self and eating) than those whose depression was successfully treated!
According to a study by Arlene A. Schmid, “The relationship between post-stroke depression and recovery of function after a stroke has not been well understood. Previous researchers have looked at both depression and function after stroke but they did not investigate whether identifying and managing depression improved ability to accomplish tasks of daily living and other function related issues.”
This new research reports that successful depression management led to better functionality that might enable the individual to return to work or more thoroughly enjoy leisure functions while decreasing the caregiver burden.
In addition to improving the well being of Stroke patients, management of depression would lower health care costs associated with functional impairment and other post-stroke treatment issues.
"This study is one of the first to show not just the link between depression and worse function post-stroke, but that successfully treating depression symptoms actually improves post-stroke outcomes,” noted the researchers.
Luckily the Skills Development Service has already been delivering a course on Psychological Coping Strategies Post Stroke for some time, and has provided training to a number of Cardiac and Stroke Networks around the country! The course is available to be delivered in-house but seminars are also being run around the country throughout 2011 and BPS Learning Centre approved.
More information can be found on our website: Psychological Coping Strategies Post Stroke
(The study mentioned above is published in the March 15, 2011 issue of the journal Neurology.)
Showing posts with label stroke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stroke. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Friday, 18 March 2011
Diabetes and Psychology
Diabetes and psychology are not often thought of as being complimentary but with the use of psychology the life of a diabetic can be drastically improved. To understand the role that psychology has to play it is first important to understand exactly what diabetes is and how it can affect the life of a diabetic.
85% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes which is the body's resistance to insulin. Insulin is naturally produced in the body and helps to breakdown the glucose in the blood. The causes of type 2 diabetes are linked to obesity, inactivity and an unhealthy diet. In order to cope with diabetes the diabetic needs to avoid long periods of high blood glucose levels called hyperglycemia and also periods of hypoglycemia which is low blood glucose levels. To balance these 2 extremes a diabetic needs to monitor and regulate their blood sugar levels on a regular basis. If the diabetic doesn't keep their glucose levels under controls they may encounter a whole host of unpleasant diseases and side effects.
The use of psychology comes in when it is necessary for a diabetic to make rapid and extreme changes to their lifestyle. Once diagnosed a diabetic must make these changes almost overnight so someone may go from a sedentary lifestyle of eating junk food and watching TV to having to eat regular healthy food and take regular exercise and well as monitor their blood sugar level. This rapid change can cause lots of problems for newly diagnosed diabetics.
The routines needed to monitor blood sugar levels and control the diabetes can be very complicated. As the majority of diabetes treatment is self care there can be serious problems if the person lacks motivation. Their condition can deteriorate and result in amputation of limbs or blindness. It is therefore imperative that the doctors use psychology to make the patient understand the importance of the illness.
Tests conducted in Canada and Germany into diabetes and psychology in recent years using fully qualified psychologists have resulted in increased levels of successful diabetes control. Whilst still relatively new the use of psychology has undoubted positive effects. With the current level of 125 million diabetes sufferers estimate to double to 300 million in the next 20 years it is important that doctors start to realise the obvious befits of psychology and incorporate psychology as part of the treatment plan for any diabetic.
An very interesting article. Psychology and a number of physical illnesses are becoming more and more interlinked, with illnesses such as Cancer and Stroke also warranting more and more psychological intervention throughout the illness and after.
The Skills Development Service are currently rolling out a number of training days for those working with Stroke Patients and Psycho-oncology, we are soon hoping to have a training course ready for Diabetes also.
If you have any interest in any of these courses please feel free to contact SDS on 01183 360169.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Peykar
85% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes which is the body's resistance to insulin. Insulin is naturally produced in the body and helps to breakdown the glucose in the blood. The causes of type 2 diabetes are linked to obesity, inactivity and an unhealthy diet. In order to cope with diabetes the diabetic needs to avoid long periods of high blood glucose levels called hyperglycemia and also periods of hypoglycemia which is low blood glucose levels. To balance these 2 extremes a diabetic needs to monitor and regulate their blood sugar levels on a regular basis. If the diabetic doesn't keep their glucose levels under controls they may encounter a whole host of unpleasant diseases and side effects.
The use of psychology comes in when it is necessary for a diabetic to make rapid and extreme changes to their lifestyle. Once diagnosed a diabetic must make these changes almost overnight so someone may go from a sedentary lifestyle of eating junk food and watching TV to having to eat regular healthy food and take regular exercise and well as monitor their blood sugar level. This rapid change can cause lots of problems for newly diagnosed diabetics.
The routines needed to monitor blood sugar levels and control the diabetes can be very complicated. As the majority of diabetes treatment is self care there can be serious problems if the person lacks motivation. Their condition can deteriorate and result in amputation of limbs or blindness. It is therefore imperative that the doctors use psychology to make the patient understand the importance of the illness.
Tests conducted in Canada and Germany into diabetes and psychology in recent years using fully qualified psychologists have resulted in increased levels of successful diabetes control. Whilst still relatively new the use of psychology has undoubted positive effects. With the current level of 125 million diabetes sufferers estimate to double to 300 million in the next 20 years it is important that doctors start to realise the obvious befits of psychology and incorporate psychology as part of the treatment plan for any diabetic.
An very interesting article. Psychology and a number of physical illnesses are becoming more and more interlinked, with illnesses such as Cancer and Stroke also warranting more and more psychological intervention throughout the illness and after.
The Skills Development Service are currently rolling out a number of training days for those working with Stroke Patients and Psycho-oncology, we are soon hoping to have a training course ready for Diabetes also.
If you have any interest in any of these courses please feel free to contact SDS on 01183 360169.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Peykar
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Post Stroke Support
Post-Stroke care has been in the news this week, with a number of people complaining about the lackof after-care provided by the NHS. Now, although these complaints were aimed mainly towards the physical side of after-care (statistics say that 50,000 people a year are left with disabilities following a stroke) it doesn't take much of a stretch to see that the psychological aftercare maybe in question also!
And then we have to think of the 50,000 people a year left with disabilities after stroke and their psychological well-being.
And the psychological wellbeing of those around them!
Testimonials such as this:
"My wife and I didn't get offered counselling for three years and that's something that needs to be considered more - it's a lot of stress for carers as well as those who have had the stroke."
Show just how the psychological aftercare for stroke victims is far behind what it should be!
The difference in aftercare between Cancer survivors and Stroke Survivors is vastly different:
"After my cancer, the hospitals wrote to me but with my stroke there was nothing."
Perhaps it's just there arn't enough people equipped with the psychological know-how to help stroke survivors? If the Stroke networks find they cannot meet targets for psychological support post-stroke then perhaps they need more people trained in areas that will directly benefit those post-stroke.
Courses such as this from SDS: Psychological Coping Strategies Post Stroke (Certificate Course) provides training for stroke-network staff that can directly benefit stroke survivors.
If you would like to know more contact us through our website: www.skillsdevelopment.co.uk - available as an open course or in-house.
And then we have to think of the 50,000 people a year left with disabilities after stroke and their psychological well-being.
And the psychological wellbeing of those around them!
Testimonials such as this:
"My wife and I didn't get offered counselling for three years and that's something that needs to be considered more - it's a lot of stress for carers as well as those who have had the stroke."
Show just how the psychological aftercare for stroke victims is far behind what it should be!
The difference in aftercare between Cancer survivors and Stroke Survivors is vastly different:
"After my cancer, the hospitals wrote to me but with my stroke there was nothing."
Perhaps it's just there arn't enough people equipped with the psychological know-how to help stroke survivors? If the Stroke networks find they cannot meet targets for psychological support post-stroke then perhaps they need more people trained in areas that will directly benefit those post-stroke.
Courses such as this from SDS: Psychological Coping Strategies Post Stroke (Certificate Course) provides training for stroke-network staff that can directly benefit stroke survivors.
If you would like to know more contact us through our website: www.skillsdevelopment.co.uk - available as an open course or in-house.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Feedback on Psychological Coping Strategies Post Stroke (Certificate Course)
***
Some examples of comments (In-house Training in Specialist Stroke Unit):
"Excellent informative very high quality training, Fabulous."
"High level of content that was relevant to practice, Delivered in a relaxed and informative way."
"A very useful and interesting day and it has done me good to use my brain again to take on some new ideas, Thank you."
"Excellent content, very useful tool to use at work, speaker very engaging."
"Excellent course."
"Thought provoking excellent day, hope that I will be able to use techniques in practice."
"Paul kept attention all day, would want to attend other training days."
"I found it useful and it has raised many points I can use in my day to day work."
"Excellent course- one of the best I have attended for a long time."
"Excellent course and very valuable for practice, would be interested in attending further courses."
"Comprehensive introduction to Psychological support in stroke.. Good information pack, well planned outpaced allowing time for questions."
"Have gained insight into recognising patient problems and how I may be able to recognise and deal with them."
"Very informative and practical very good at keeping pace/attention. In my field I have daily involvement with CVA residents and families."
"I found this course very interesting and doing the physical exercises were good as you learn easier by doing that than just listening. Overall very good course."
"I feel that I have been given some new ideas to help people work out problems themselves rather than giving them limited options."
"Brilliant course and material, brilliant speaker, best course I’ve been to for a long time."
***
Some examples of comments (In-house Training in Specialist Stroke Unit):
"Excellent informative very high quality training, Fabulous."
"High level of content that was relevant to practice, Delivered in a relaxed and informative way."
"A very useful and interesting day and it has done me good to use my brain again to take on some new ideas, Thank you."
"Excellent content, very useful tool to use at work, speaker very engaging."
"Excellent course."
"Thought provoking excellent day, hope that I will be able to use techniques in practice."
"Paul kept attention all day, would want to attend other training days."
"I found it useful and it has raised many points I can use in my day to day work."
"Excellent course- one of the best I have attended for a long time."
"Excellent course and very valuable for practice, would be interested in attending further courses."
"Comprehensive introduction to Psychological support in stroke.. Good information pack, well planned outpaced allowing time for questions."
"Have gained insight into recognising patient problems and how I may be able to recognise and deal with them."
"Very informative and practical very good at keeping pace/attention. In my field I have daily involvement with CVA residents and families."
"I found this course very interesting and doing the physical exercises were good as you learn easier by doing that than just listening. Overall very good course."
"I feel that I have been given some new ideas to help people work out problems themselves rather than giving them limited options."
"Brilliant course and material, brilliant speaker, best course I’ve been to for a long time."
***
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