Expert Answer by James Castle, M.D.
If your mother's stroke involved the part of the brain responsible for behavior, you may be in for a rough road ahead. Generally, most of the improvement after a stroke is within the first six months, but improvement can continue for up to two years.
I'd recommend taking your mom to see a psychiatrist with experience in stroke cases before you give up hope. Your mother may be suffering from post-stroke depression or other issues that may be reversible with professional help.
Answer
While a psychiatrist may be very helpful in the case of depression, I found that a Neuropsychologist did the best for my husband. My husband's stroke was in his frontal lobe (he's amidextrous, so it really messed him up), and he has impaired judgement and impulse control difficulties. While 2 years seems to be the party line for stroke recovery - I still see changes and it's over 3 years now. Just continue to challenge the stroke patient, and the recovery will continue. Don't give up hope - just realize that your mother has changed in a way that was other than her choice.
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