The Psychological Effects of Stroke in Older Adults

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Recommended: A case of cerebrovascular accident

The Psychological Effects of Stroke in Older Adults

Elderly people are continuously faced with the debilitating effects of the aging process. Age-related diseases are part of the aging process that put the elderly population at risks for physical, mental, and social incapacity in dealing with their everyday functioning. However, more than the external deleterious consequences of these diseases are the psychological ramifications that they have to older adults that are worth investigating. Cerebrovascular accident or stroke is one of the many age-related diseases that affect both the physical and psychological functioning of many older adults. To understand the extent of the effects of stroke to older adults, this research paper will enumerate various physical, mental, and social aftermaths of this disease. Furthermore, it will utilize the most recent studies to explain the consequences of these aftermaths to older adults’ cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning. Also, this paper will discuss the psychological effects of caregiver burden that a spouse or immediate family member may experience while caring for a stroke victim. To gain a better understanding of stroke, it is imperative to first get a closer look at the background information and underlying factors that surround this disease.

Stroke is a serious and life-threatening disease that mainly affects the biological functioning of the brain. It is precipitated by an occlusion in the vascular system that supports and nourishes the brain cells with oxygen and other vital minerals (Welch, 2008). With the brain deprived of the necessary nutrients to maintain its fundamental metabolic processes, it is often times altered irreversibly to the point where it affects the...

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... J. (2011). Differential aspects of stroke and congestive heart failure in quality of life reduction: A case series with three comparison groups. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 9, 65.

Pohl, P. S., McDowd, J. M., Filion, D., Richards, L. G., Stiers, W., & Kluding, P. (2007). Task Switching After Stroke. Physical Therapy, 87(1), 66-73.

Rogalski, Y., Altmann, L. J. P., Plummer-D’Amato, P., Behrman, A. L., & Marsiske, M. (2010). Discourse coherence and cognition after stroke: A dual task study. Journal of Communication Disorders, 43(3), 212-224.

Thompson, H., & Ryan, A. (2009). The impact of stroke consequences on spousal relationships from the perspective of the person with stroke. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 18(12), 1803-1811.

Welch, R. (2008). Considering the psychological effects of stroke. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants, 2(7), 335-346.

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