Have a listen to the clip below to hear how Isobel managed to start getting active.
Q. After your stroke Isobel, what was it important to get back to doing?
I wanted to feel like I could get back to looking after myself and get rid of those ready meals! They are OK for a little while, but not a long term solution.
Q. How easy was it to get started?
It was very difficult at the beginning…
Q. What things made it difficult?
For me it was a lack of confidence, fear of failure. My husband was also wrapping me up a bit in cotton wool.
Q. What did you do to get going and what was the 1st thing you did?
Well, we sat down and had a chat about things and we thought about what I could make that could be easy. Like a snack or a lunch, something simple that wouldn’t tire me out.
Q. And what did you make?
I made a bowl of soup with the microwave. Not very exciting!
Q. And that worked well?
Yes, It worked out okay, it wasn’t time-consuming and didn’t take too much effort, which was good.
Q. And how did you feel after that?
I felt great, I was actually able to feed myself and my husband. He’s a bit more relaxed now and let’s me do more because he can now see what I can do.
Hints and tips:
- Making an agreement with your family members to work jointly on household tasks can improve everybody’s confidence.
- Agree what you are going to do with your family.
- Do part of the task and gradually build up to doing more.
Something to try
Would any of these hints and tips help you? Make a note of these and think how you could put them into action.