Speaking

Lana Wilhelm

Stroke Caregiver Advocate • Speaker • Patient & Family Voice

Turning lived experience into clarity, compassion, and change.

Lana Wilhelm is a powerful speaker and stroke caregiver advocate who brings visibility, understanding, and practical insight to one of healthcare’s most overlooked perspectives: the caregiver. Drawing from firsthand experience navigating stroke recovery, long-term care, and the emotional realities families face, Lana delivers talks that educate, validate, and empower audiences across healthcare, nonprofit, and community settings.

Available for keynotes, conferences, panels, workshops, and caregiver-focused events.

Speaking Topics

The Invisible Patient: Life as a Stroke Caregiver

A deeply human look at the physical, emotional, and logistical realities caregivers face—often without preparation, recognition, or support.

Stroke Recovery Beyond the Hospital

What happens after discharge: caregiving at home, system gaps, and how families adapt when medical care ends but recovery continues.

Caregiver Burnout, Resilience, and Advocacy

Identifying warning signs of burnout while offering realistic strategies for resilience, self-advocacy, and sustainable caregiving.

Partnering With Caregivers for Better Outcomes

A call to healthcare professionals, organizations, and policymakers to meaningfully include caregivers as part of the care team.

THE HIDDEN CRISIS FACING STROKE CAREGIVERS

Many caregivers focus entirely on their loved ones, neglecting their own health and well-being. Self-care is a necessity, not an option.

HOW BETTER CAREGIVER SUPPORT IMPROVES PATIENT OUTCOMES

The caregiver is vital to the overall patient care program. By recognizing the critical role of the caregiver, listening to them and responding to their needs, medical professionals directly support the long-term well-being of the patient.

WHAT FAMILIES REALLY NEED AFTER DISCHARGE

The day the patient goes home from the hospital can be overwhelming and frightening to the caregiver. Preparing the caregiver for what comes next can greatly reduce anxiety and stress and makes the adjustment go more smoothly.

HOW TO CLOSE THE CAREGIVER SUPPORT GAP

The caregiver should be seen as a extension of the patient’s medical team. Better communication between the medical team and the caregiver is essential to the well-being of the patient.

TURNING OVERWHELMED FAMILY MEMBERS INTO CONFIDENT CAREGIVERS

What does it take for care partners to feel confident and ready to take on the enormous challenges they face? Understanding a caregiver’s fear and anxiety is the first stop to building confidence and competence.

Suggested Facilities & Locations

  • Hospitals and stroke centers

  • Rehab facilities and therapy teams

  • Nonprofits and community organizations

  • Caregiver support groups

  • Conferences and professional trainings

Custom presentations available for medical conferences, caregiver summits, hospitals, professional trainings, rehab facilities/therapy teams and advocacy organizations.