JOBURG – Strokes affect thousands of people the world over every year, and in a bid to counter misinformation and ignorance, Park Care Centre launched Stroke Awareness Week.
The campaign, set to run from 28 October until 3 November, will allow people affected by strokes and living with aphasia, a stroke-related communication disability, to share their stories.
Park Care speech therapist Caitlin Longman said she was horrified to find an international survey, conducted to gauge stroke awareness, stated that many respondents thought aphasia was an exotic fruit or a skin rash.
According to Longman, research showed that one in six people would have a stroke in their lifetime, and that one in three strokes resulted in aphasia.
“Aphasia can affect speech, reading, writing and understanding. Post-stroke aphasia can last for hours, days, weeks, or the rest of the person’s life. However, it can be treated with intensive therapy, best begun as soon as possible after the stroke,” she said.
Longman added that, while aphasia did not affect a person’s intelligence, they may appear cognitively delayed due to communication difficulties.
The chances of having a stroke could be reduced by monitoring one’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
“Other factors that can increase the likelihood of a stroke include smoking, diabetes, a family history of strokes, increased alcohol intake, and being overweight,” said Longman.
She said the acronym FAST could help identify stroke symptoms.
F – Face: Look for asymmetrical drooping of the face. A person having a stroke may only be able to smile on one side of the face.
A – Arms: If a person having a stroke was asked to lift both arms in the air, one arm may be weak or paralysed.
S – Speech: During a stroke, speech may sound slurred.
T – Time: A person suffering a stroke should be taken to hospital or a clinic as soon as possible.
Longman said that stroke survivors and their families could receive support from various organisations such as StrokeAid, Headway, the Stroke Survivor Foundation, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
“It’s important to remember that recovery does not stop six months post-stroke, and that improvements can be seen many years after the stroke occurred,” she said.
Details: Park Care 011-482-2060; StrokeAid 011-728-2292; Headway 011-442-5733; Stroke Survivor Foundation 082-889-1800.
