Driven to Thrive: Tackling Transportation After Stroke
Release Date: 04/14/2025
The Overlooked Key to Stroke Recovery: Hearing
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 34. The Overlooked Key to Stroke Recovery: Hearing Hearing is one of the keys to independence after a stroke. More than just sound, hearing is critical for brain health, rehabilitation and independence following a stroke. In this episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” host Rosa Hart, BSN, R.N., SCRN, talks with Virginia Dekanski, Au.D., CCC-A, about how untreated hearing changes can impact recovery and long-term cognitive health. In this episode, you will learn: Why hearing loss can slow rehabilitation after a stroke. How balance problems are connected to hearing...
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Love, Resilience and Recovery: A Young Caregiver’s Story
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 33: Stronger After Stroke — Love, Resilience and Recovery: A Young Caregiver’s Story In this heartfelt episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” host Rosa Hart welcomes Katelyn Deakins, wife of a young stroke survivor who shares her inspiring story of love and resilience amid the realities of caregiving. Katelyn shares what it was like to step almost overnight into the role of caregiver, navigating the medical system and supporting her husband’s recovery while also learning to care for herself . In this episode, Katelyn discusses: The emotional rollercoaster of her...
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Role Reversal – When the Child Becomes the Caregiver with Tiffany Cardwell
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 32: Role Reversal – When the Child Becomes the Caregiver with Tiffany Cardwell When a person has a stroke, life changes for family members as well. Host Rosa Hart is joined by Tiffany Cardwell, who shares a deeply personal journey of love, responsibility and unexpected role reversal after her father experienced a stroke while traveling overseas. What began as a season filled with travel plans quickly turned into a crisis when her father suddenly was stranded in the Philippines, requiring rehabilitation before he could make the long journey home. Tiffany opens up about the emotional...
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Can I Drive Again? Legal Realities After Brain Injury
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 31: Stronger After Stroke – Can I Drive Again? Legal Realities After Brain Injury Driving is more than just transportation—it represents autonomy, identity and freedom. Host Rosa Hart welcomes attorney and brain injury survivor Cameron Fathauer, J.D., for an enlightening conversation about the emotional and legal complexities of driving after a brain injury. With firsthand insight and legal expertise, Cameron guides listeners through the critical considerations survivors and caregivers must understand when it comes to regaining the ability — and the right — to drive safely and...
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From Patient to Purpose: Adam Maddox’s Journey
Stronger After Stroke
May 12: Stroke Awareness Month Episode Episode 30: Stronger After Stroke – From Patient to Purpose: Adam Maddox’s Journey In this powerful episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” host Rosa Hart, stroke nurse navigator, sits down with Adam Maddox, a stroke survivor who’s rewriting his life story. At just 26 years old, Adam suffered a hemorrhagic stroke at his brother’s funeral — a devastating event that led to a lifesaving intervention at Norton Brownsboro Hospital. Now a nursing student and patient care associate at the very hospital that treated him, Adam shares how his experience...
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Driven to Thrive: Tackling Transportation After Stroke
Stronger After Stroke
Stronger After Stroke: Driven to Thrive: Tackling Transportation After Stroke In this empowering episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” host Rosa Hart is joined by social worker Caitlin Zoeller, MSW, LCSW, for an honest conversation about one of the biggest hurdles stroke survivors face: transportation. From the emotional impact of losing the ability to drive to the everyday logistics of getting to appointments or simply staying social, transportation challenges can deeply affect independence and quality of life. Together, Rosa and Caitlin unpack the grief many survivors experience,...
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Should You Apply for Disability After a Stroke? Steps to Take With Sam Schad
Stronger After Stroke
March 10, 2025 Episode 28Should You Apply for Disability After a Stroke? Steps to Take With Sam Schad In this episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” we tackle a crucial question for stroke survivors: Should you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits? Navigating the SSDI application process can be overwhelming, but knowing when and how to apply can make all the difference. Our expert guest, Sam Schad from Schad Law, has spent his career advocating for individuals with disabilities, managing all aspects of SSDI claims. As one of the first non-attorney...
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Heart Month: Watching Over the Heart and Brain
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 27 Heart Month: Watching Over the Heart and Brain Did you know a stroke can come straight from the heart? Gain more insight from our discussion between D. Sean Stewart, M.D., cardiologist with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, and Rosa Hart, stroke nurse navigator with Norton Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Stewart explains the role of the anatomy of the heart in clot formation during atrial fibrillation (A-fib), putting someone with A-fib at risk for stroke. He also explains how an implant called a Watchman device protects against clot formation and can decrease the need for taking...
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Lost in Translation: Bella’s Stroke Journey Abroad
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 26: Lost in Translation: Bella’s Stroke Journey Abroad Episode summaryIn this episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” stroke nurse navigator and host Rosa Hart interviews Bella Portaro-Kueber, a stroke survivor who shares her remarkable journey of resilience after experiencing a stroke while on vacation in a foreign country. Bella opens up about the fear and uncertainty of receiving medical care in a language she didn’t understand, as well as her decision to keep her stroke private for two years before finding the courage to share her story. Her experience highlights the...
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What I Wish I Knew: A Caregiver’s Journey With Brain Injury Recovery
Stronger After Stroke
Episode 25: What I Wish I Knew: A Caregiver’s Journey With Brain Injury Recovery Episode summary In this heartfelt and enlightening episode, host Rosa Hart, stroke nurse navigator with Norton Neuroscience Institute, sits down with Michelle Sanchez, a devoted daughter and caregiver, to explore her journey through navigating her mother’s brain injury rehabilitation and recovery. Michelle shares invaluable lessons learned, the unexpected challenges of caregiving and the resources she wishes she had known about earlier. From navigating the health care system to finding emotional support,...
info_outlineStronger After Stroke: Driven to Thrive: Tackling Transportation After Stroke
In this empowering episode of “Stronger After Stroke,” host Rosa Hart is joined by social worker Caitlin Zoeller, MSW, LCSW, for an honest conversation about one of the biggest hurdles stroke survivors face: transportation. From the emotional impact of losing the ability to drive to the everyday logistics of getting to appointments or simply staying social, transportation challenges can deeply affect independence and quality of life.
Together, Rosa and Caitlin unpack the grief many survivors experience, share real-world solutions such as assistive technology and shine a light on local programs that can help. They also talk about the essential role caregivers play and why health care providers must stay informed about resources to better serve their patients.
This episode is a must-listen for survivors, caregivers and health care professionals alike — because rebuilding life after stroke means more than just rehab. It means staying mobile, connected and seen.
Key takeaways
- Losing the ability to drive often triggers a grief process for stroke survivors.
- Many survivors feel reluctant to ask loved ones for rides, fearing they’re a burden.
- Public transportation isn’t always accessible or safe for those with mobility challenges.
- Tools such as GoGoGrandparent offer tech-enabled solutions for nondrivers.
- Insurance coverage for transportation varies — ask questions and explore options.
- Caregivers are crucial in managing transportation logistics and emotional support.
- Community-based programs can fill the gap with rides to medical appointments and more.
- Health care professionals should educate themselves on transportation resources.
- Advocacy is essential — raising your voice can spark real change.
- Staying connected through tech can reduce isolation and foster independence.
Want more inspiring stories and real-life resources? Subscribe and share “Stronger After Stroke” with someone who needs a little extra support navigating life after stroke.
If you enjoyed this podcast, listen to Norton Healthcare’s “MedChat” podcast, available in your favorite podcast app. “MedChat” provides continuing medical education on the go and is targeted toward physicians and clinicians. Norton Healthcare, a not-for-profit health care system, is a leader in serving adult and pediatric patients throughout Greater Louisville, Southern Indiana, the commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond. A strong research program provides access to clinical trials in a multitude of areas. More information about Norton Healthcare is available at NortonHealthcare.com.
Date of original release: April 14, 2025