Senior Help Forum » Strokes

How to Recognize if You are Suffering a Stroke

lmcgowan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:14:46 +0000

According to Everyday Health in an article entitled “Am I Having a Stroke?,” “The window of opportunity to successfully treat a stroke is short – about three hours – so awareness of stroke symptoms is important. Maybe you think you can spot stroke symptoms in someone else, but would you know if a stroke was happening to you?”

In this Everyday Health article, Mark Alberts, MD (Professor of Neurology at Northwestern University) lists the following as signs you may be having a stroke:

Having difficulty speaking (e.g., finding words, slurring your speech, being unable to speak.
Having trouble understanding what others are saying to you
Feeling weak or numb on one side of your body (inability to move your body, expecially if it strikes suddenly)
Having difficulty with coordination
Seeing double
Experiencing a severe headache

Risk Factors for Stroke that You Can Control

lmcgowan — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:02:30 +0000

Certainly, there are many risk factors for stroke that you just don’t have any control over. Such as, age, gender, ethnicity, family history and medical history. According to an online article by Everyday Health entitled, Stroke Risk Factors: What You Should Know “about 50 percent of people who survive a stroke will be disabled preventing them from being completely independent and taking care of everyday activities. The good news? Nearly 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented if you know your risk factors, and make changes that can decrease your risk.”

Everyday Health lists the following as things you can do to minimize your risks:

Do everything in your control to manage conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.
Watch your diet – limiting your intake of fat, calories, and sodium
Keep moving – make sure you are exercising regularly
Keep your weight under contol and your waistline trim
Quit smoking
Avoid hormone use

For detailed descriptions of each of these factors, visit the Everyday Health website.

Addressing Inappropriate/Unsafe Behavior in Stroke Survivors

lmcgowan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:06:52 +0000

One of the things I found scary after my mother suffered a set of strokes, was her unpredictable behavior and often unsafe/risky practices. After spending time online and speaking to neurologists, I have learned that this kind of behavior from stroke survivors is very common.

The American Stroke Association provides the following guidelines on their website:

“Always treat the person with respect and listen to his or her side of the story
Offer praise when the person is exhibiting appropriate and safe behaviors (e.g., ‘You really handled that situation well, I’m so glad you decided to take the bus rather than drive…..’).
Allow the person to choose among appropriate and safe choices (e.g., ‘Do you want me to drive you, or would you rather take a cab?’).
Be assertive and set necessary limits. Explain your concerns and feelings in a supportive way (e.g., ‘I know you want to use your power tools, but I care too much about you to let you use them at this time.’).”