The 5 Stroke Warning Signs You Need to Know

Posted on May 7th, by Mark Winter in Aging, Homecare, Senior Health. No Comments

Stroke, according to the National Stroke Association, is listed as the fifth top cause of death in the U.S., with approximately 800,000 individuals suffering from a stroke each year. This suggests that every 40 seconds a person somewhere in the U.S. has a stroke. And every four minutes someone dies as a result of a stroke.

If you are helping an elder or chronically ailing friend or family member who is at an elevated risk for stroke, it’s crucial to ensure that you are in a position to discern stroke warning signs. The quicker you get professional help, the better the chance that your loved one will live through the stroke. Warning signs of a stroke typically include sudden onset of:

Weakness or numbness in the arm, leg, or face – especially on one side of the body
Trouble with understanding or speaking, confusion
Cloudy vision or difficulty seeing
Challenges with walking, dizziness, loss of coordination or balance
Extreme headache with no particular known cause

If you observe these signs of a stroke in someone, remember to act F.A.S.T.

Face: Ask the person to smile and observe if one side tends to droop.

Arms: Ask the individual to lift up both arms. Does one arm seem to be drooping downward?

Speech: Ask the person to repeat an easy sentence. When he does, observe if speech sounds slurred or if the person is not able to pronounce words in the right way.

Time: Time is of the essence! If you notice any of the above symptoms, call 911 immediately or get the person to the hospital as soon as possible!

At Hired Hands Homecare of Marin, CA, we pride ourselves on providing professional, fully trained caregivers [ to care for your senior loved ones. We provide a wide variety of senior home care services, such as companionship, meal planning and preparation, personal care, and housekeeping, to meet all of your loved one’s home care needs. Get in touch with us at (866) 940-4343 or contact us online to schedule a complimentary in-home evaluation and learn more about how we provide the kind of services for elder care Marin County families recommend most. To learn more about all of the areas that we serve in California, please visit our Service Area page.