Sandra @ Step Out Walk
For those that don’t know, what is a stroke?
A stroke is a brain attack which occurs because of a clot or a bleed in the brain, causing brain cells to die. Stroke can happen at any age and it affects everyone differently; it can change how you move, feel and think.
Around three times as many women die from stroke than breast cancer in the UK. But in many cases, it is preventable.
What are the warning signs of a stroke?
The best way to remember the signs of a stroke is the FAST test. It stands for:
Facial weakness – has the persons face drooped on one side?
Arm weakness – is the person able to lift both arms above their head?
Speech problems – does the person’s speech sound slurred?
Time to call 999 – if one or more of these symptoms are present call 999 immediately.
You can also have a mini-stroke (known as a transient ischaemic attack, or TIA). This is when the brain’s blood supply is interrupted for a short time. The symptoms are similar to a stroke, but they only last a few minutes or hours. It’s still serious though, and requires a trip to hospital, because one in four will go on to have a full stroke without treatment.
What support does Stroke Association provide to someone who has been affected by stroke?
We have different services up and down the country, depending on what your local Council or NHS has commissioned. You can find out what’s available in your area by checking our website (stroke.org.uk) and anyone can ring our stroke helpline (0303 3033 100).
The Information, Advice and Support Service which I help run in Central Lancashire helps stroke survivors make the transition from hospital to home, and onwards. I provide a listening ear to stroke survivors and their families, practical information including what other organisations can offer locally, guidance in joining a stroke or carers group, and emotional support in adjusting to life after stroke.
I also help to raise awareness of stroke and how to manage risk factors, through speaking to stroke survivors and the public.
What checks do you perform on people when you are out promoting awareness of stroke?
We hold Know Your Blood Pressure events around the country, for people to get a free, quick test. We recommend people get their blood pressure check every year, because it’s the biggest cause of stroke, and changing lifestyle factors or medication can help to lower it.
We are also encouraging people who think they may have an irregular heartbeat (known as atrial fibrillation or AF) to ask their GP to check their pulse. Signs include your heart beating irregularly and very fast, shortness of breath and palpitations. It can increase your risk of a stroke by five times because the heart can’t relax between beats and blood clots may form. With medication, these strokes can be prevented.
What foods heighten your likelihood of having a stroke?
A diet high in saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels, and a diet high in salt can contribute to increased blood pressure (the biggest cause of strokes).
So we say a healthy diet is one that is high in fruit and vegetables and low in salt and fat. It’s thought that eating five fruit and veg portions a day can cut the risk of stroke by a quarter, but even eating one more piece of fruit is beneficial.
Three servings of wholegrain foods a week, such as wholewheat bread, cereal, pasta, brown bread, oats etc, can almost halve your risk of stroke.
About one teaspoon of salt (6g) is the maximum daily amount of salt you should have, and people forget it’s already added to a lot of food we buy.
How do you keep fit and healthy to set the example to your clients?
We encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle, whatever that means for them. It’s very difficult to change every bad habit at once, so, for someone who perhaps eats a poor diet, we might recommend for them to avoid adding salt to their food, for someone who has a fairly sedentary work-life, it might be to take the stairs instead of the lift.
It’s recommended to do exercise for 30 mins at least three times a week, but it’s whatever gets you as a person out of breath – for some it’s walking up and down the stairs, for others it’s jogging. We wouldn’t recommend the same exercise for everyone.
I personally choose to keep fit and active by playing tennis and walking my dog at least twice a day. I recently organised a Step Out walk in Ormskirk which involved a group of stroke survivors, their family and carers and lots of other volunteers (including a collection of dogs!) walking round Coronation Park to achieve their goals whilst also raising money for Stroke Association by getting sponsorship. One of our highest fundraisers was Sandra (pictured) who raised a huge £200. Sandra was working full time as a nurse when she had her stroke two years ago. She has worked extremely hard at her rehabilitation and achieved a massive goal on the day of the Step Out by completing her walk without any assistance. Sandra is now looking at ways of returning to work and plays an active role at our groups supporting other stroke survivors, as her positive and ‘can do’ attitude is very inspiring to other group members. Sandra feels that attending groups to get information and tips from other stroke survivors is vital, she believes that staying motivated and positive is key. Sandra gets involved in many events and keeps her brain as active as possible.
What is the easiest and simplest step someone can take today to help reduce their likelihood of having a stroke?
Some people are more at risk of having a stroke than others. Although you cannot change some things like your age or family history, there are plenty of things that you can do to lower your chances of having a stroke.
Lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking and inactivity increase your risk. So I suppose it depends on which of these applies to you, and which you would find easiest to change!
You could make small goals to start with, like cutting down on cigarettes, eating one more piece of fruit a day, or walking for 10 minutes more a day, and then build it up.
What can people who have had a stroke suffer from afterwards?
Stroke affects everyone differently, so it can be the cause of a huge range of other problems.
About one third of stroke survivors will have some form of communication problem, including speaking, understanding what is being said, reading and writing. It can be really frustrating and isolating.
After a stroke, many people experience weakness down one side of the body, fatigue, vision difficulties, and cognitive problems such as memory, understanding, and difficulty with emotions.
How can this affect their family life?
Our stroke services and stroke groups are really aware of the impact someone’s stroke can have on their family and friends, so we make sure that their needs are looked after. Often our stroke groups are a way for carers to have a break themselves.
It can be difficult because after a stroke it can seem that the person isn’t the same anymore. It’s a group effort between the individual, their family and Stroke Association to help everyone come to terms with what’s happened and help them make their best recovery.
How important is Stroke Association’s role in helping people recover?
It can be really difficult when stroke survivors leave hospital – it can feel like their life’s been turned upside-down and they’ve got so many things to sort out.
For the stroke service I help run, I visit people at home, and help them adapt to their life after stroke. I advise them on the benefits system and help them to apply for grants for home aids like stair rails or wheelchairs. Whatever their specific problem, I try to find a solution or point them in the direction of someone who can help.
What involvement is there for fundraising for Stroke Association?
We have fantastic, dedicated and passionate fundraisers, and without them we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. People support us by holding their own events like bike rides or cake sales; attending one of our events like Step Out or skydives; or by donating regularly.
Our volunteers are also great at supporting our events and campaigns and doing things like charity collections or helping out at local stroke groups.
As 2012 is Stroke Association’s 20th anniversary, we’ve produced a pack to let people know how they can get involved and celebrate with us. To receive a copy of The Big Get Together, email [email protected].
Interview with Emma Dacey Information, Advice and Support Coordinator - Central Lancashire
Female First Lucy Walton