| While anybody can be at risk of having a stroke, the | | | | take a chance when they experience symptoms like |
| elderly are more vulnerable. Elderly people who suffer | | | | these and even more so for elderly people. No |
| from high blood pressure are at high risk. In cases | | | | inconvenience to get to a hospital can ever compare |
| where high blood pressure is accompanied by | | | | to the severe after effects of strokes. |
| diabetes, smoking or the drinking of alcohol the risk is | | | | After Effects of Strokes |
| even higher. Men are also more at risk than woman. | | | | With less serious strokes people can recover quite |
| Elderly people are not always aware of these factors | | | | remarkably. For younger victims it might be easier and |
| and sometimes seem to be oblivious to the facts. In a | | | | quicker to recover than for older people. |
| study done by Mayo clinic in 2007 they found that | | | | People that suffered a serious stroke can end up |
| 50% of elderly patients that had strokes before did not | | | | being paralyzed on one or both sides. Many times the |
| recognized the symptoms again. Some waited for | | | | victims have trouble speaking. Recovery is a long |
| over three hours to a week, from the start of the | | | | and tiresome process and a lot of times, they never |
| symptoms, before they went to the hospital. | | | | recover. |
| The quicker a stroke patient gets medical care and | | | | Assistance After a Stroke |
| attention the better the changes are of recovery. | | | | There is always hope for recovery after a stroke and |
| Living with the aftermath of a serious stroke is much | | | | even though many patients don’t recover fully |
| worse than taking the trouble to go to hospital even | | | | there are ways to make it easier for the patient. |
| for a very minor attack. | | | | The frustration to suddenly not be able to talk or move |
| Symptoms of Strokes | | | | around can make them very impatient and they might |
| Weakness in one part of the body, normally an arm or | | | | not be very cooperative during therapy sessions. |
| a leg, is almost always a sure sign of a stroke. Inability | | | | Therapy is, however, very necessary and important. |
| to talk or slurred speech is another symptom that | | | | Occupational, physical and speech therapist will be able |
| occurs rather regularly. Stroke victims, many times, | | | | to assist with these adjustments. |
| find the face droops or one side of the face would | | | | The most important thing to remember is that it is |
| droop. Dizziness, severe headaches and confusion are | | | | never too early to seek medical attention if you |
| other symptoms that are often seen. Nobody should | | | | suspect you or someone else is having a stroke. |