After a stroke, patients lose their senses in many cases (about 50%-80% struggle). They can experience feeling numbness or as if needles are going inside parts of their body, but there is hope with equipment. Making the difference between the feeling of cold and warm can also get more difficult. This results from the part of the brain being destroyed or damaged which regulates and controls sensation. In some cases, the sensation can return automatically, but often it takes constant training to get it back. Regaining it back can work when you exercise so the brain can heal. With stimulation, this can then work to get neural pathways back. However, this only works with constant exercise in which more and more stimulation is taking place and therefore leads to a quicker recovery.
Patients can work with therapists and what highly is important to feel and touch as a patient, so stimulation in connection to sensory can be sent to the brain and create those new neural connections. The best is to include a variety in the exercises, such as feeling pressure, but also light touch and feeling different materials as well as to realize different forms of temperature. All of these examples can help gain back sensory feelings.
Nevertheless, it will only work if patients are consistent and are repetitive with it.
One example is to place different textured materials on a table, to feel them, not look at them, and then to describe what it is.
Another game that exists is to fill a bowl with uncooked rice and place different kinds of objects inside. From there, patients have to find and say what it is. With this trick, the brain keeps on getting the experience of being stimulated.
Patients can also start easier and look at objects while they feel them and then repeat it with their eyes closed.
For patients who struggle with feeling temperature, it is important to feel objects that are warm and then also cold objects.
One last game that already exists, is to close the eyes and have someone touch you at a certain point. After this, patients have to say where they were touched and if they are wrong they have to process where exactly they were touched and train the brain this way.
All the mentioned exercises can save stroke survivors from dangerous accidents in the bathroom or kitchen. Therefore training and not being in the same position too long and keep on improving the stagnation are crucial.
https://www.flintrehab.com/sensory-reeducation-return-of-sensation-after-stroke/
As mentioned several times consistency is the key here, therefore a fun and motivating game that is easy to prepare or only has to be set up once so the patient can train themselves without someone constantly looking over their shoulders could be helpful for many stroke patients.