No one can predict exactly what the future will hold. Some stroke disabilities get better over time. With speech therapy, your family member may regain some ability to communicate. Physical therapy may improve her range of motion. If this is the case, your family member may actually need less care as she regains more independence.

But you should also be prepared for the opposite scenario. A brain injury almost always has permanent effects: if the patient has trouble communicating, making decisions, or remembering things, the situation is not likely to improve dramatically. If she's partially paralyzed, she's susceptible to medical complications like pressure sores, blood clots in the legs, muscle spasms, and infection. Such complications can result in a rapid decline, requiring you to provide or seek more assistance and care. If she'll require only minimal care after hospital discharge, consider it an opportunity to make plans for the future.