Dealing with Dementia and Alzheimer’s can be a big worry on a lot of senior’s minds. Mental illnesses can have no visible symptoms until they have already taken hold. However, many people tend to neglect the 3rd cause of death in seniors: strokes. Having a stroke can be an extremely traumatic experience, in some cases leading to serious long-term disability or death.
What are some steps we can take to prevent strokes? There are a few factors that can significantly increase your risk of a stroke, some of these factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Not maintaining a physical lifestyle
- Excessive alcohol intake
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Family history of stroke or heart attack
Minimizing these risk factors can cut your chance of stroke by a large percentage. Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, both mentally & physically, as a senior is important to overall well-being.
If you or a loved one are having a stroke, it’s important to take steps immediately to get proper medical attention. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS), stroke patients who received medical treatment within three hours of the start of a stroke were 30% more likely to recover with little to no disabilities. It is recommended to get to a hospital immediately if you or a friend is having a stroke.
Some of the common symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden numbness of face, arms, or legs
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or comprehending speech
- Sudden trouble seeing with one or both eyes
- Sudden severe headache without any cause
Here is a quick walkthrough utilizing the “FAST” method of handling a stroke emergency
Face – Look at the stroke victim’s face, does one side droop downward?
Arms – Ask the stroke victim to raise both arms; Does one arm start to drop? Are they unable to raise one arm?
Speech – Talk to the stroke victim, is their speech slurred or sound almost like they’ve been drinking?
Time – Act quickly, if you observe any signs of stroke, call 911 immediately. Time is of the essence.
Strokes can be very frightening, and the symptoms can appear suddenly at any time. Being prepared and taking the right steps can help prevent any serious problems if a stroke were to happen. Taking care of your body and your mind are vital to being disease and illness free as a senior. Seniors Helping Seniors of Jordan Lake helps to provide these opportunities to grow and flourish in your later years.