The end of May will be here before you know it, and we here at The Wright Stuff do not want to let this month go by without acknowledging National Stroke Awareness Month. May was proclaimed National Stroke Awareness Month in 1989 by President George Bush. Every May, various institutions and nonprofits highlight aspects of stroke, challenges, prevention methods, and ways to treat those who have had a stroke.

Position matters

As caregivers of people who have had a stroke, it is important to keep our loved ones comfortable during recovery after the stroke. According to Stroke Engine Intervention, a website that records best practices based on the academic literature, care should be taken to position stroke victims appropriately throughout the day, especially in bed. Proper positioning can decrease pain and actually help regain movement.

We have several positioning products that could help in this area.

The National Stroke Association suggests positioning with the use of pillows to support weak areas of the body after a stroke. Sometimes traditional pillows just aren’t practical for a specific purpose. We have an array of adaptive pillows that can be perfect for any situation.

Helpful lateral pillows

Posey Lateral Positioning Wedges

Our Posey Lateral Positioning Wedges will allow you as a caregiver to provide support more easily to your loved one when they lie on their side. These lightweight, breathable wedges offer positioning support to the backside and help prevent pressure ulcers.

Keeping the body aligned during sleep

Knee Separator Pillow

Many people who have had a stroke prefer to have support between their knees while laying on their side, especially for legs that have been weakened by stroke. The Knee Separator Pillow, unlike a traditional pillow, was made for this very purpose. The Knee Separator Pillow is small, fits snugly in between the knees and maintains proper alignment of the back, legs, hips and knees. It features a contour design to hold the knees comfortably.

Support the shoulders

Dual Position Wedge

We also have a Dual Position Wedge that can be positioned horizontally to use under the head or vertically to lean on in a sitting position in bed. When sitting in bed, it is important to maintain proper support under weak shoulders to hold them forward and prevent subluxation.

Sleep comfortably while wearing C-PAP

Core C-PAP Pillow

The National Stroke Association says that one of the most common forms of sleep difficulties experienced by stroke victims is sleep apnea, for which many people have to use a C-PAP. Traditional head pillows are not ideal for use with a C-PAP. The Core C-PAP Pillow is uniquely shaped for just this purpose and allows enough room for the nose mask not to be pushed when the user is laying on their side.

We hope you are able to find the right pillow or support for the one you care for. What better time than Stroke Awareness Month for us to educate ourselves on the adaptive tools we could be using to help during post-stroke recovery!