Integrating Reiki Into

Stroke Recovery Treatmemt

Elise Loiselle, RN, MSN, CNP Nurse Practitioner Reiki Practitioner

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Everyone Stand Up• Smoke • Personal Stroke History • More than one Alcoholic Drink Daily • Exercise less than 150 minutes per week • Eat less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily • Overweight • High Blood Pressure • Diabetes • High Cholesterol • Family Stroke History • Cardiac Arrythmia (Afib) • Artificial Heart Valve • Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)

Stroke• Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S.

• There are nearly 7 million stroke survivors in the U.S.

• Stroke can happen to anyone at any time.

• Family history of stroke increases your chance for stroke.

• Personal history of stroke increases your chance for another stroke. • 80% percent of strokes are preventable.

• Stroke recovery is a lifelong process.

Thrombotic Stroke

Type of Ischemic Stroke

Blood clot forms in the artery

Artery is narrow due to damage from chronic disease (hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes)

Artery becomes blocked by the clot within the brain

Surrounding brain tissue dies

Embolic Stroke

• Type of Ischemic Stroke

• Emboli forms in another area of the body, usually heart due to chronic disease (Atrial Fibrillation, Myocardial Infarction, Rheumatic Heart Disease, Endocarditis, Artificial Heart Valve)

• Emboli travel in the bloodstream until they become lodged and cannot travel any farther (small vessel, narrowed by disease)

• Restricts brain blood flow

Hemorrhagic Stroke

• Blood vessel in the brain bursts

• Blood leaks into the brain

• Sudden increase in pressure in the brain causes damage to the brain cells surrounding the blood

• Hemicraniectomy to allow the brain to swell

• Bone flap is replaced when swelling decreases and blood is reabsorbed

• 3-6 months for blood to be reabsorbed

Hemicraniectomy Patients

Deficits from Stroke

• Mobility

• Gait

• Balance

• Aphasia

• Dysphasia

• Speech

• Vision

Stages of Stroke

• Acute

• Subacute

• Chronic

What You Should Know About Your Stroke Survivor Client

• Universal Delivery of Reiki • Be Present

• Practice Compassion

• Have Patience

• Express Understanding

• Embody Empathy

• Self-Reflection

What a Stroke Survivor Wants You to Know

1. Be as patient with me the 20th time you teach me something as you were the 1st. 2. I am not stupid, I am wounded. Please respect me. 3. Protect my energy. No talk radio, TV, or nervous visitors. 4. Make eye contact with me. I am in here – come find me. Encourage me. 5. Do not assess my cognitive ability by how fast I can think. 6. Repeat yourself – assume I know nothing and start from the beginning, over & over. 7. Stimulate my brain when I have energy, but know that small amounts may wear me out quickly. 8. Please don’t raise your voice. I’m not deaf, I’m wounded. 9. My desire to sleep has everything to do with my healing brain; and it has nothing to do with laziness. 10. Please have patience with my memory. 11. When I’m ‘stuck,’ try not to take over. 12. I’m not being ’emotional.’ I’m recovering.

The Physical Aspects to Consider in the Stroke Survivor

• Etiology of their Stroke Embolic, Thrombotic or Hemorrhagic

• Co-morbidities Hypertension Cardiac Arrhythmia: Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Attack, Infection Coronary Artery Disease Diabetes

• Prognosis • Functional Gains

Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Speech Language Pathology Music Therapy Recreation Therapy

• Deficits

• Prevention Medications Anticoagulation

Bleeding Risk

The Mental Aspects to Consider in the Stroke Survivor

• Major Unexpected Life Change

• Stress

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Hopelessness

The Emotional Aspects to Consider in the Stroke Survivor

• Anger

• Frustration

• Agitation

• Acceptance

• Hope

• Inspired

The Spiritual Aspects to Consider in the Stroke Survivor

• Hope • Loss of Hope • Gaining Hope

• Spiritual Connection • Deeper • Feeling Disconnected

• Family Support

• Chaplaincy

Communicating with the Stroke Survivor

• Stroke Unknowns • Pervasive • Nonspecific • Recovery at Different Rates over Long Time • Therapies

• Language of Benefits • Parasympathetic Response

• Decreased heart rate • Decreased blood pressure • Decreased breathing rate • Decreased Anxiety • Decreased Depression • Improved Mood • Improved Outlook • Improved Perception of neuropathic pain • Deeper sense of relaxation • Deeper sense of mind-body connection

Communicating with the Stroke Survivor

Reiki is Universal • Available to All • Inspire Attunement

• Giving Back • Self Care • Purpose • Sense of Self

Volunteering in the Medical Setting

• Know Your Patient • Still in Recovery • Prognosis unknown

• Deficits • Multiple Strokes

• Managing Expectations • What is Their Day Like?

• Know Your Facility • Language of the Hospital

• Approach, tools, explanation to patient, treatment length, family present • Energy versus Medical terms • Protocols of hospital • You as healer are not in the spotlight, you are adjunct • Get permission to touch always

• Accommodations • Bed position • Pillows • Bolsters

• Know Yourself • Volunteer

• Comfort level • Time

Caring for Loved Ones with Stroke

• Conversations about expectations • How to Start • What to Say

• Where are You? • Delivery of Reiki in the home, SNF • Positioning

• Table, bed, pillows, bolsters, chair • Protect yourself as a practitioner

• Language of healing versus comfort • Healing is not linear • Touch is better for fascial release, connection • Parasympathetic Nervous system response

• Decreased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, stress, anxiety • Time spent- longer does not always equal better

Stroke Survivor Coming to Your Reiki Private Practice

• Post-acute Phase • Recovery • Deficits

• Chronic versus Recovery • Length of time • Functional activities

• Accommodations • Assistance to the Table • Comfort

• Bolsters • Pillows • Sensitivities to Touch

• Neuropathies • Anticoagulation

Stroke Survivors in Reiki Private Practice

• Conversations around expectations of outcomes • Patients coming to You as the Healer

• Touch is better for fascial release • Get permission always

• Parasympathetic Nervous system response • Decreased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, stress, anxiety • Relaxation

• How Do you Choose to Live/Quality of Life • Facilitation of Healing

• Healing is not Linear • Deficits • Prognosis • Recurrence

Thank You