By Barb Nadeau –
Stroke is one of the most frightening words for older adults to hear. It is a great unknown. It strikes without notice and with unknown possible results of unknown extremes. Every four minutes someone dies as the result of a stroke. It is the fifth leading cause of death, which takes approximately 140,000 Americans each year.
However, it does not have to be that way. According to the Centers for Disease Control, early action is important in the recovery and future of those who are experiencing a stroke. Most health experts agree that strokes are preventable.
All seniors should know and recognize the warning signs and symptoms of stroke, so that they can act quickly to assist themselves, or someone else in need. It is possible for an individual to recognize a stroke occurring to them and to respond, and the chance of survival is far greater when emergency treatment begins quickly.
Sudden numbness, confusion, trouble seeing or speaking, trouble walking, dizziness, or severe headache with no known cause are all signs of a stroke. An easy trick to remembering these signs is to act FAST!
F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you see any of these signs listed above, call 9-1-1 right away!
Patients who arrive at the emergency room within three hours of their first symptoms often have less disability three months after a stroke than those who received delayed care.
We can prevent strokes by making healthy lifestyle choices, too. When it comes to healthy eating, we need to realize that we tend to stick to old habits and ideas that we have developed over time. We may think we are acting in a healthy way, but we may not be. Staying away food that is deep-fried in vegetable oils is one easy change. Staying away from processed food products that pack on the pounds is another.
Instead, choose lean meats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. High cholesterol and high blood pressure increase chances of having a stroke. It is best to lower scores by staying active and eating well. The more you do naturally to stay healthy the less your doctor needs to prescribe.
Listen to your doctor’s orders and heed them.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk. So staying physically active will help, which could be as simple as a brisk walk a few times a week. Choose to quit smoking. Cigarette smoking greatly increases chances of having a stroke. Consuming too much alcohol raises the risk of stroke. Men should consume no more than two drinks per day, and women should limit themselves to only one.
When I was a young college student, I learned my neighbor had a stroke. He was rather young, and it took me by surprise. I learned then that anyone could be susceptible to a stroke. Now so many years later, I see younger and younger individuals dealing with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other effects of our standard American diet. It saddens me that Americans seem to learn more each day about being healthy, but adhere to this knowledge less and less.
In college, I took up a challenge to start a public relations campaign to alert dangers of strokes and to encourage support systems for folks who suffered from and were trying to recover from strokes. The support group opened my eyes, and gave hope to my neighbor who continued to keep the group active. Years later, I see that similar support groups have formed in communities across the U.S.. Whether our initiative was unique in the late 1970s or just part of a growing consciousness, I will never know. What I do see, though, is a real interest in trying to do something to help ourselves become more healthy, and to help others in recovery and rehabilitation.
Doctors and therapists can do wonders in helping recovery from the life-altering results of a stroke. Our challenge is to do everything we can to stay healthy and to support others in need of care, therapy, and rehabilitation.
The most important part of any challenge is considering how we can make this world better for another person. Shall we? When can we start? How about now!
Barb Nadeau is the Community Relations Manager for the Voluntary Action Center of DeKalb County. Barb has worked in television, radio, and print as well as in volunteer coordination and networking amongst non-profit social service agencies. She is a freelance writer and television host. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.