Act FAST: Understanding the Signs of a Stroke

A stroke is an event during which the blood supply is cut off from the brain, either due to a blood clot or a hemorrhage. As you might imagine, this is a very traumatic and dangerous experience—one that can lead to severe damage to the brain and even death. As such, eldercare professionals encourage you to understand the signs of stroke and to act quickly if you believe that your senior is suffering from this event. When it comes to eldercare, Always Best Care of Burlington knows that it can be difficult to remember all of the symptoms of conditions that your loved one could develop. Luckily, the signs of stroke are easy to commit to memory, as they spell out the word "fast." The National Stroke Association explains:1

• Face: If your senior's smile droops on one side, this may be a sign of a stroke. 
• Arms: When your senior raises both arms out parallel to the floor, they may be suffering from a stroke if one arm does not stay level and, instead, angles down to one side. 
• Speech: A stroke often results in slurred speech, or the inability to use the right words to convey ideas. Ask your loved one to speak and, if they have difficulty, seek medical assistance immediately. 
• Time: Getting your senior into the care of a trained and experienced doctor is key in preventing lasting damage from being caused by a stroke. The sooner you call 911 the better your loved one's odds of recovery. 

In addition to these symptoms there are other warning signs of stroke, including:

• Numbness of the extremities or face
• Weakness of the extremities or face
• Confusion 
• Difficulty understanding
• Vision impairment
• Dizziness
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• Severe headache

Senior care professionals urge you to familiarize yourself with these symptoms and make certain that, should any of them appear in your loved one, you help your senior access the attention of a medical professional immediately. A stroke is a scary and disorienting experience, for both individuals who are suffering from them and their loved ones who witness it. As such, try to stay calm and get your senior the help they need as quickly as possible.
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1 http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=symp