The Major Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Senior health professionals encourage anyone who cares for an elderly individual to learn the major signs and symptoms of a stroke. A stroke is a serious health episode that can cause debilitating damage when it not treated immediately. As soon as your elderly loved one begins to display the signs of a stroke, they need immediate medical attention. In order to make sure that this happens, it’s important to learn the key indicators of stroke. They include:

Numbness

If a person is having a stroke, they may experience numbness or weakness in one arm. To check for arm numbness, ask your senior to raise both of their arms above their head, and then look to see if one arm is slowly heading downward.

Face drooping

If your elderly loved one’s smile has begun to droop or they complain that their face has gone numb, this can indicate that they are having a stroke.

Trouble speaking

If your senior is having a stroke, they will have difficulty speaking properly and may become hard to understand. They may slur their words or speak sentences that don’t make sense. To test if this is taking place, ask your loved one to repeat a simple sentence. If they are unable to repeat the sentence correctly and clearly, it’s time to get them medical attention.

Other common indicators of stroke include:

• Confusion or trouble understanding simple conversation or instructions
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• A significant headache with no real cause

Those who care for seniors should always be on the lookout for these warning signs, and should act quickly should they display themselves. With a stroke, every minute counts, so getting an elderly loved one to the hospital as soon as possible can greatly increase their chances of making a recovery. 

Though strokes are brain-based, they can devastate a person’s entire body. A stroke can make it hard to feel emotions, speak clearly, and think. They may also cause full or partial paralysis on one side of the body. Because May is National Stroke Awareness Month, it is even more important to learn the key indicators of a stroke.