The Most Important Lesson about Stroke Awareness? Act FAST!

With May being Stroke Awareness Month, I would implore anyone reading this to take to heart one thing: If you think you or someone close to you – at work, at school, at home – might be suffering a stroke, it’s vital that you get help quickly. The faster a stroke victim gets medical attention, the better the outcome and chance of recovery.

FAST is the key to surviving a stroke – not just fast medical attention, but these four keys signs that a person may be having a stroke:

• FACE: ASK THE PERSON TO SMILE. IS IT UNEVEN, OR A DROOP ON ONE SIDE OF THE FACE?

• ARMS: ASK THE PERSON TO RAISE THEIR ARMS. IS ONE ARM DRIFTING DOWN?

• SPEECH: ASK THE PERSON TO REPEAT A SIMPLE SENTENCE. DOES THEIR SPEECH SLUR?

• TIME: IF YOU OBSERVE ANY OF THE ABOVE SIGNS, CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY

Another thing to keep in mind is that strokes don’t only occur in older adults! In fact, stroke has increased in younger Canadians, so don’t allow a person’s age to make you think what’s happening to them isn’t a stroke.

Being informed can make a big difference when it comes to our health and recovery from setbacks, whether it’s a stroke, an accident or a disease. There’s also no single recovery plan that can be applied to every situation.

Family Caregivers play a big role in any recovery. But just as every recovery plan is different, so is every family situation. Sometimes, for example, a family Caregiver may need to return to work to support the family financially. There also needs to be a balance – i.e. every Caregiver needs some time to deal with their own needs.

Your local Caring Hearts® Home Care office can meet with you to tailor a plan that meets your family’s needs.