Strokes do not just strike seniors. Anyone of any age, race or gender can have a stroke.
Many of the risk factors for stroke are controllable. These include alcohol use, atherosclerosis (the build-up of plaque in the walls of your arteries), diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, and the use of tobacco and smoking.
With strokes, every minute counts so it is vital for you to think FAST. The most effective treatments for stroke are only available within the first three hours of experiencing the first symptoms of a stroke.
The following are common symptoms of a 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 of both eyes.
SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, loss of coordination.
SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause.
To help you remember how to recognize the warning signs of a stroke and how you should respond, the National Stroke Association recommends that you think FAST.
F
Face
Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A
Arms
Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one side drift downward?
S
Speech
Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T
Time
If you observe any of the signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.
To help you remember how to Think FAST, the National Stroke Association has provided a FAST Wallet Card that you can download and print to carry with you. Click the link to the right to view the Fast Wallet Card http://goo.gl/dHYcs
The National Stroke Association also urges you to note the time you first experienced the first symptom of a stroke. The information is important to health care providers and can affect treatment decisions.
For more information about how you can become a Stroke Champion by helping raise stroke awareness during the month of May and throughout the year, visit theStroke Awareness Resource Center.
Post ScriptHeritage Woods of Flora, a BMA affordable assisted living community in Flora, Illinois, is hosting a Stroke Awareness Mother-Daughter Tea in partnership with Clay County Hospital at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, 2013.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
By Rick Banas of assisted living and senior living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
John O’Leary cautioned those of us attending his keynote address at the Life Services Network’s (LSN) 2013 Annual Meeting & Exhibition about a couple of pictures that he was about to show.
John is President of Rising Above. LSN is the largest elder care association in Illinois and the state affiliate of Leading Age and the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA).
He was talking about growing and thriving through adversity, igniting your life, and making a difference in the lives of others.
John is living proof of the message he delivers.
The pictures that John was about to show those attending the keynote address, were of John lying in a hospital bed when he was nine years of age. Burns covered 100% of his body. Nearly 90% of the burns were third degree. His chances of making it through the night were less than 1%.
He was an adventurous boy who had been playing with gasoline in the garage.
He endured months in the hospital, including a five-month period in which his arms and legs were strapped down. He underwent dozens of surgeries and spent years in therapy. All of his fingers had to be amputated.
Today, he is a business owner and international speaker, who defines his greatest success in life as marriage to his wife, Beth, and their four children.
What I most noticed about John during this presentation and in meeting with him afterward is his remarkable spark for live.
What I will remember most were his comments and stories about the Powers of Love, One and More.
Igniting your life so that you thrive both professionally and personally starts with the Power of Love. A heart on fire is powerful.
The Power of One reflects the ability of each of us individually to change the world. In John’s case, it was the Power of One plus One. He talked about the two individuals, each acting alone, who had the biggest impact on his recovery. The individuals were a care aide and Jack Buck, the announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals. John is a native of the St. Louis area and a big Cardinal fan.
The Power of More reflects a focus on what more can I do for myself and for others. After you do something for someone, ask yourself what else can I do to make a difference.
As John said, everything you do has the power to push people down or pull people up.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
By Rick Banas of senior living and assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
For seniors, inactivity can be risky.
Taking it easy can lead to a loss of independence and to more visits to your doctor, more stays in the hospital, and more medications, says the National Institutes for Health (NIH).
Older adults tend to lose their ability to do things on their own not simply because they are growing older, but because they have become less physically active, notes an NIH article on the benefits of exercise.
Making regular physical activity part of your daily life is one of the best steps you can take to maintain your independence. In addition, it is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being.
In a recent presentation at the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community that BMA manages in McLeansboro, Illinois, Jennifer Hawkins of NovaCare Rehabilitation talked about the most common causes of decreased physical activity in seniors.
These include osteoarthritis, balance disorders, fear of falling, depression and insomnia.
Osteoarthritis affects 43 million people and is the leading cause of disability in the United States, Jennifer said. “Exercise is the key to treating this disease,” yet is “under prescribed.” Pharmaceutical treatment tends to be “the most common method of managing the symptoms,” she added.
On average, one in three people in the United States over the age of 65 fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injury, hospital admissions for trauma, and death due to injury among older adults, Hawkins said.
There are many reasons for poor balance among older adults, including the lack of physical activity due to a fear of falling. Physical therapy that incorporates balance exercises is the cornerstone in treating many of the causes, said Hawkins.
Anxiety and depression among older adults often is under diagnosed and under treated. The symptoms can impact the ability of older adults to enjoy life and can lead to a disability and loss of independence.
Insomnia is one of the most common complaints among seniors. It can cause “decreased feelings of social well-being” and can affect one’s ability to concentrate, said Hawkins.
Exercise can also help with diabetes, glaucoma, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and colorectal cancer.
If you have any of these conditions or symptoms, you should contact your doctor and ask if exercise is appropriate for you, says Hawkins. When you exercise, oxygen will run through your blood better. You’ll be in a better mood. It will help you sleep better. And, you’ll feel better.
To stay active, the best thing you can do is to stay active.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
By Rick Banas of senior living and assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
The residents and staff of Heritage Woods of Sterling, a BMA affordable assisted living community, came together to create their own edition of the YouTube video dance craze that is, the Harlem Shake.
Located in City of Sterling in north central Illinois, Heritage Woods serves adults 65 and older of all incomes, including those on Medicaid, who need some help to maintain their independence.
The community recently was named one of the Top 20 assisted living communities in Illinois by Assisted Living Today.
Nearly 40 residents and staff members joined in making the video; we invite your to enjoy their version of the Harlem Shake:
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
By Rick Banas of assisted living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
One of the ads that really caught my attention during the Super Bowl on Sunday was the Viva Mas as for Taco Bell.
What caught my attention was that Taco Bell was not targeting teenagers, 20 somethings or Boomers. They were targeting Older Adults… during the Super Bowl.
I admit. I work in Marketing. I have worked in senior living for the past 35 years. I work with the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. Most anything to do with seniors tends to attract my attention.
What I noticed after the Super Bowl was all the buzz in the Social Media about the ad.
Some people thought the ad depicted ageism, furthered stereotypes about seniors, and “just made fun of old geezers.”
Others commented that the ad was the “one bright spot in my night” and the “commercial does not make me dread assisted living.”
In this Clevver News video, Deidre Behar contends that, “there’s so much to love about this commercial.” It shows aging is just a number and that going out for fun is something everyone can do regardless of their age.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
