UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — One in four people over age 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime. Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is aiming to reduce that number with stroke risk screenings.
Its stroke team will hold its free annual event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 23 at the Center Valley Hospital.
May is Stroke Awareness Month.
"It depends on what area of the brain the stroke is occurring in. Some people might have very minor balance or speech deficits. Other symptoms might be more pronounced, there might be loss of consciousness.”Rachel Burke, an occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley
"When it comes to stroke symptoms, everyone's going to experience something different," Rachel Burke, an occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley, said.
"It depends on what area of the brain the stroke is occurring. Some people might have very minor balance or speech deficits.
"Other symptoms might be more pronounced, there might be loss of consciousness.”
Burke said it's never too early to start getting screenings, especially for those who may have a higher risk factor for a stroke.
"The screening will consist of blood sugar and cholesterol testing courtesy of health network labs, blood pressure and heart rate screening for screening grip strength testing and BMI height and weight assessment,” she said.
She said stroke risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and obesity.
'Encourage anybody to come'
Burke said people should think of the acronym BE-FAST when it comes to recognizing stroke symptoms. That stands for balance loss, eyesight changes, face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to get to the hospital.
“Stroke is something that's highly preventable, which a lot of people don't realize," Sarah Jasinski, also an occupational therapist with the network, said.
"It's also super common; 795,000 people have a stroke each year. So that equates to about every 40 seconds someone has a stroke in the United States alone.”
"It's never too early to start getting checked, especially if you do have some of those modifiable risk factors for stroke.”Rachel Burke, an occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley
She said the network is seeing younger and younger patients coming in for rehabilitation following a stroke. Good Shepherd has an entire floor devoted to stroke rehabilitation.
"We always try our best to combine expertise and compassionate care alongside those leading technologies to really help people get back home," Jasinski said.
"Rather than to a skilled nursing facility or end up back in the hospital."
Burke said, "I would really encourage anybody from the community to come.
"It's never too early to start getting checked, especially if you do have some of those modifiable risk factors for stroke.”
