One Easy Step for Seniors to Survive Stroke.
Posted by Kyle Taylor on Fri, Apr 15, 2011 @ 01:15 PM
Recent research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association found that senior citizens living in a setting where they interact with neighbors and count on them for help have a 53% better chance of surviving a stroke.
The biggest reason for the higher survival is that there are people around to call for help for the individual. When someone is suffering from a stroke, they aren't always able to tell.
"Social isolation is unhealthy on many levels, and there is a lot of literature showing that increased social support improves not just stroke, but many other health outcomes in seniors," said Cari Jo Clark, Sc.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Where to find a 'neighborhhood'
Seniors or their families looking for a neighborhood such as this need look no further than assisted living or independent living. While not a "traditional" neighborhood, it will definitely increase a seniors survival rate of stroke.
Assisted Living & Independent Living not only have other residents to to interact with, but numerous staff members employed just to do so. Most assisted living & independent living communities have specific training for staff in recognizing stroke early. Thus making the survival rate even better.
5 Warning Signs of Stroke
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
If your loved one is at risk of stroke or has a history of stroke and you want them to have better survival chances, the one easy step you should take is to consider assisted living or independent living.
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you, especially if you have personal experience in this area. Please leave a comment.
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