Living Well - Summer 2015 - Beaufort - (Page 27)

3 APPOINT ONE FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND AS SPOKESPERSON. Having a primary contact and notetaker reduces disruptions and confusion, Stein says. The spokesperson, in daily contact with the doctor and the case manager, allows everyone to focus on her or his role in the patient's treatment and recovery. 3 EDUCATE YOURSELF. You'll be a better caregiver if you learn about the eﬀects of stroke and steps to recovery. Join a support group and gather information from hospitals and organizations such as the American Stroke Association and National Stroke Association. 3 ENCOURAGE THE STROKE SURVIVOR. The simple act of holding the patient's hand helps. Celebrate accomplishments, no matter how small, as Taylor's mother did. Encourage your loved one to walk, socialize, engage in favorite activities and seek treatment for depression, if needed. Social isolation is common, Stein says. "It's partly a mobility issue, partly being self-conscious. But there's a therapeutic value in staying socially engaged." 3 EXPECT RECOVERY TO TAKE TIME AND HARD WORK. Doctors once told patients that improvements would stop after six months. Taylor's continued for eight years, and for some, recovery occurs over a lifetime. Physical, occupational and speech therapy may be part of the process, occurring in locations from an acute-care hospital to home care to outpatient settings. 3 TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Physical and emotional exhaustion will limit your ability to help. Rest, eat healthy foods, exercise and see friends. Schedule helpers to give you a break. Keep a journal. I Stroke riSkS UniqUe to Women Odds that a man or woman will experience a stroke double after age 55 for each additional decade lived. American women live longer than men: on average, 81 years versus 76. But these two facts only partly explain why women are more likely than men to experience a stroke-and to die from it. The first guidelines for preventing stroke in women, published in 2014 by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, address women's unique risks. "The big (risks) are things that only affect women," Beaufort Memorial Hospital Stroke Coordinator Sheri O'Brien says. "One of those is pregnancy. But there also are things more common in women than in men." Smoking is a stroke risk for both sexes, "but if you're a woman who smokes and uses birth control, that's like waving a red flag," O'Brien says. Prevention is especially crucial because women are one-third more likely to require nursing home care after a stroke. "A lot of that is age, because they're having strokes five years later than men," O'Brien explains. "Some also may be widowed and not have anybody to go home to, so even if they have minimal disabilities, they end up in nursing homes." Women should be aware of these stroke risks: Stroke risks unique to women: 3 Pregnancy, preeclampsia, gesta- tional diabetes 3 Oral contraceptive use, postmenopausal hormone use Stroke risks stronger or more prevalent in women: 3 Migraine headache with aura 3 Atrial fibrillation 3 Diabetes 3 Hypertension 3 Depression 3 Psychosocial stress CALL Living Well After Stroke BMH offers a monthly program that addresses the needs of stroke survivors and their caregivers. For information on upcoming sessions, call 843-522-5593. SUMME R 2015 27

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Living Well - Summer 2015 - Beaufort