In the very early stages it is hard for even a stroke expert to give an accurate prognosis of what will happen. The brain needs time to recover and this can often be a slow  and unpredictable process. Usually most of the recovery occurs in the first weeks and months. However many people after a stroke go on to recover further over a period of years with the right advice and encouragement. This takes a lot of patience. The extent of the recovery is influenced by the amount of brain damage. Older people and those in poor health before the stroke are likely to recover less well, although being older or sick does not mean the person won’t recover.  Once the person is medically stable ( i.e. is well without any infections or other complications), the other members of the hospital Multidisciplinary Team -MDT (including nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists) will complete their assessment of the person’s problems. After the first few days, the person’s progress and result of assessments should give a clearer idea of the person’s likely recovery. The medical and MDT will also look at risk factors for stroke and how to minimise risk of future stroke. ( secondary prevention)