Staying Safe at Home After a Stroke

More than 750,000 Americans experience a stroke every year. Readjusting to life after a stroke can be overwhelming, but SYNERGY HomeCare Gerontologist Dr. Macie Smith has tips for a successful home-based recovery. When focusing on stroke recovery at home, be sure to review all of the information you received from the hospital and/or rehab facility. This will include any new medications that have been prescribed. It will also include information about in-home care providers for physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. If there are prescriptions for any durable medical equipment like a walker or gait belt, make sure to understand how to use them properly.As you recalibrate to your at-home routine, it is important that you stick to the prescribed therapy sessions and that you do the prescribed exercises in between home visits from your therapists.The biggest focus of stroke recovery is getting ones strength back. But its equally important to recognize that a full recovery from a stroke may mean having a new baseline of ability and function. That means you may not get back to what you had before the stroke. Doing your therapy will mean that you get as much back as you possibly can.Another important component of recovery relates to understanding the recovery journey, which is specific to each person. Knowing what to expect during recovery can help manage expectations so frustration or despair doesnt set in. Talk with the doctors and therapists to get a clear picture on how much progress you might expect to make over specific time periods.Pay attention to your or your loved ones mental state during this period of recovery. An extreme sad mood lasting longer than two weeks may be a sign of depression, which will need to be addressed.The bottom line is that there are a lot of moving parts during stroke recovery at home. Family caregivers may be overwhelmed and need some assistance with activities of daily living. Respite care for the family caregiver may also be warranted.SYNERGY HomeCare offers highly personalized levels of quality care as early as pre-discharge from the hospital, and our Stroke Recovery program specializes in supporting a recovery plan at homethe best place to be.To learn how SYNERGY HomeCare can support you following a stay in the hospital, click here.Dr. Macie P. Smith is a licensed gerontology social worker who is focused on helping families support their aging loved ones through long-term care. Specifically, Dr. Smith educates caregivers on how to care for seniors with dementia. She is an advocate for specialized care and assists others in finding a way to provide a better quality of life for individuals with Alzheimers or dementia. Dr. Smith has dedicated over 22 years of her life working in gerontology and assisting families in finding personalized solutions for dementia care. For more information, please call 720-204-5788.

Strokes, often seen as a health concern primarily affecting older adults, can impact anyone at any stage of life. The fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability, strokes are prevalent and dangerous. In fact, every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Recognizing the signs of a stroke before it happens is crucial for timely intervention and better outcomes.The American Stroke Association explains that a stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so it and brain cells die.Knowing the signs of a stroke before it happens can save someones life and help prevent long-term disability. Its especially important to learn stroke symptoms if you are caring for a person who is in a high-risk group, such as someone who has diabetes or high blood pressure. A stroke is always a medical emergency, and it can come on suddenly, at any time and any place.FAST is an easy way to remember the signs of a stroke.When you see these signs, you will know that you need to call 911 fast. FAST stands for:F Face droopingOne side of the face is drooping or numb. When the person smiles, the smile is uneven.A Arm weaknessOne arm is weak or numb. When the person lifts both arms at the same time, one arm may drift downward.S Speech difficultyYou may hear slurred speech or notice the person is having difficulty speaking. The person cant repeat a simple sentence correctly when asked.T Time to call 911If someone shows any of these symptoms, call 911 right away. Call even if one or more symptoms go away. Make a note of the time the symptoms first appeared.Beyond FAST, other symptoms you should know include:Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the bodySudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speechSudden trouble seeing in one or both eyesSudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordinationSudden severe headache with no known causeIn the event that you or a loved one experience a stroke, recovery support is available. SYNERGY HomeCare offers highly personalized levels of quality care as early as pre-discharge from the hospital, and our Stroke Recovery program specializes in supporting a recovery plan at homethe best place to be.___________SYNERGY HomeCare offers no obligation home assessments. Find a location near you or contact us to learn how we can help you have a safe and comfortable recovery following a stay in the hospital.

This May is American Stroke Month, a multi-agency effort that seeks to provide the public with more information about one of Americas most common adverse health events. Each year, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke, leading to 140,000 deaths. This makes it the leading cause of death in America, and a major cause of serious disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control.Luckily, a stroke is often preventable and treatable. Thats why it is crucial to know the risk factors and warning signs. Stroke StatisticsThough strokes can affect people of all ages, they are most commonly seen in those over 65. According to the Stoke Awareness Foundation, the risk of stroke doubles each decade after an adult turns 55.While treatable, the adverse health effects of a stroke can be debilitating, sometimes affecting survivors for the rest of their lives. Of the 7 million stroke survivors in the United States, more than two-thirds suffer from some sort of disability as a result of the stroke, the Stroke Awareness Foundation reports.According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, strokes are more common in men, but more deadly in women. Additionally, strokes are more common, and more deadly, in African American adults, regardless of age. Stroke Risk FactorsWhen thinking of adverse health events related to the cardiovascular system, most adults tend to think of heart attacks. But this isnt the only adverse event that can come from poor cardiovascular health, as heart health is one of the leading factors when it comes to stroke risk.According to Johns Hopkins, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol are all risk factors for stroke. Additionally, other risk factors include age, race, gender and genetics.These risk factors mean that maintaining heart health is key to avoiding stroke. This means that adults should exercise regularly, refrain from smoking or excessive drinking, consume heart-healthy foods and regularly check in with their healthcare provider to assess cardiovascular health. Signs of a StrokeAccording to the American Stroke Association, more than 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated. Thus, getting treatment is critical to lowering the risk of an adverse outcome. And to get treatment, one must understand the signs and symptoms of a stroke.Several health agencies have made this easier through their usage of an acronym FAST. Its meaning is as follows:F Face droopingA Arm weaknessS Speech difficulty (such as slurring)T Time to call 911 Additionally, men and women can sometimes have slightly different symptoms of a stroke. Signs of stroke in women include feeling weak, disoriented, fatigued and nauseous, in addition to vomiting. A stroke is a serious medical condition, one that can lead to poor health outcomes in both the short term and long term. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the factors behind a stroke and the symptoms of stroke.By knowing the symptoms of a stroke, you can take action quickly, and improve the chances of a positive health outcome.