Cognitive Function Rehabilitation after Stroke
Cognitive function impairment after suffering a stroke is quite frequent and is associated with left hemisphere infarction. This may lead to problems with memory, speech, cognitive deficit, and information processing. Such symptoms usually stand in the way of successfully carrying out everyday duties and tasks. Since a person affected by them may be unable to think through a chain of actions or get lost on the way to completing a particular task. However, all this can be reduced to the very minimum and in some cases avoided by implementing specific cognitive exercises into your rehabilitation process. In this article, we have mustered 5 tips and tricks to include into your everyday practice to work through cognitive impairment and deal with daily duties with ease!
The 5 tips and tricks
Board and card games
There is a huge variety of board and card games all over the world. For many nations, some of them have become a part of their culture. These games prove not only to be an amusement but also in most cases require critical thinking, strategic, and memory skills. In addition to that, most of the games require multiple players allowing communication and extra speech practice. However, there are also games like solitaire where a person can play all alone not depending on anyone.
Art and crafting
Activating your creative niche is also a great way to add to recovery. Choose an art or a crafting project set out steps and goals and create! Not only this aids the left hemisphere it also strongly activates the right one responsible for creativity, visual shapes, emotions, etc. Maybe that is exactly the right time to build something you have always wanted as a kid.
Puzzles
Puzzles have probably been created at the beginning of mankind but officially date back to the 1760s in Europe. The benefits of puzzles on cognitive function are clear as a day, information processing, memorization, and constant visual perception and analysis are great tools to boost neuroplasticity.
Meditation
Meditation is well known for its’ relaxation and calming benefits. More notable is the fact that it allows for clearer thinking and understanding. The proverb patient is a virtue is applicable here like nowhere else. Whether you decide to do it on your own or with the help of meditation apps (variety available on the market) it is still vital to brain function.
Computer games and apps
Last but not least, certain computer games may sufficiently benefit the cause. For instance, matching pictures or cards matching memory games prove to be highly efficient. In this article, research has proven that “cognitive functions significantly improved in patients who practiced computerized cognitive training programs or virtual environment rehabilitation systems” (Baltaduonienė, 2019). To add to that, the SensoRehab Smart Glove rehabilitation complex is based on the principles of gamification and virtual environment rehabilitation. A special set of games to challenge a patient to use his or her cognitive skills while enjoying the process of a game. SensoRehab Smart Glove works on almost all affected skills: memorization, visual perception, information processing, cognitive thinking, data analysis, and attention. Check out our games demo at app.sensorehab.com.