Highlighting World Stroke Day: Regaining Mobility and Independence
Strokes are a serious and prevalent condition, particularly among the elderly, often causing severe health issues and ongoing mobility struggles. World Stroke Day serves as an opportunity to highlight the challenges that come with this disease—and support those dealing with them.
When is World Stroke Day? It is an event observed annually on October 29th, and was created in order to help highlight the serious nature of this condition, spreading awareness about prevention, treatment, recovery—and mobility after a stroke.
At 101 Mobility, we’re proud to prioritize the well-being of those in our community and highlight such a great cause. By offering top-of-the-line mobility aids for stroke patients and continuous support, we seek to make dealing with the effects of a stroke easier, ensuring no one has to go at it alone. We’re also dedicated to helping raise awareness when it comes to preventing and treating strokes, seeking to keep you and your loved ones as healthy as possible. We’re exploring these topics, focusing on stroke signs, risk factors, and tools in order to help with regaining mobility after a stroke and facilitate easier recovery when it comes to this life-altering event.
Signs of a Stroke
While having a stroke can be scary, there are many warning signs you can look for in order to spot one in action—and seek medical attention more quickly. In fact, the first step to treating a stroke is being able to recognize when it is happening. There are a variety of common symptoms associated with strokes, but remembering the acronym FAST is a good place to start. Common signs include:
- Face drooping: If you’re concerned that someone you know is having a stroke, start by taking a look at their face. Is there noticeable drooping? Are they experiencing numbness? If they are, ask them to smile and see if one side of their face does not match the other. Facial abnormalities are often an easy-to-spot sign that a stroke is occurring.
- Arm weakness: If the person can’t raise both arms, or if their arms feel weak or numb, they might be experiencing a stroke. Ask the individual to attempt to move their limbs to see if any of these issues are taking place.
- Speech difficulties: Check if this individual is having trouble forming sentences. Is their speech slurred or are they having difficulty expressing themselves? These issues are often cause for concern and may signal it’s time to react.
- Time to call 911: If you notice any of these telltale signs, call emergency services immediately to get help.
In addition to these common symptoms, confusion, vision issues, and head pain can also occur when a stroke is taking place. Learn more about what to look for when attempting to spot a stroke and check out our guide to understanding strokes. Remember, when in doubt, seek medical help. Time is of the essence and calling for help could potentially save your life—or the life of someone you love.
Stroke Risk Factors
Strokes can happen to anyone, but they become more likely when certain factors are present. Some of these factors are within your control and some are not. However, staying in the know can help you be prepared and mitigate any additional risks. Common risk factors for a stroke include:
- High blood pressure: Hypertension is a leading contributor to strokes. Stay proactive by getting your blood pressure checked often.
- Heart disease: There is quite a bit of overlap when it comes to various types of heart disease and strokes. Stay up to date on your health to know if this applies to your situation.
- High cholesterol: Having high cholesterol can increase the chance of blocked arteries, leading to a stroke.
- Diabetes: Having diabetes can potentially put you at a greater risk of a stroke. Learn about common diabetes symptoms and keep an eye on your health.
- Smoking: Smoking or vaping can nearly double your risk when it comes to certain types of strokes and avoiding this habit can improve your health overall.
In addition to these well-known risk factors, there are many other things that can affect the likelihood of a stroke. As you age, the risk of having a stroke increases. Women are also at a higher risk than men overall, with one in five women having a stroke in their lifetime and strokes being the third highest cause of death in women. Learn more about symptoms of a stroke in women.
Those who have already had a stroke are unfortunately at a higher risk when it comes to having another. There are many other additional conditions and lifestyles that may put you further at risk, including obesity, certain blood disorders, and sleep apnea. Learn more about other risk factors associated with strokes—and see how you can help protect yourself.
Life & Mobility After a Stroke
Strokes are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Improving mobility for stroke patients is an important part of World Stroke Day and our own mission at 101 Mobility. How does a stroke affect mobility? It does so in a variety of ways and having a stroke often has severe effects on lifestyle. Large strokes have the potential to be fatal, can cause paralyzation in certain parts of the body, and often induce a loss of speech. Even small strokes can lead to weakness in your arms or legs, making it difficult to get around and handle everyday tasks. Strokes can also cause their share of coordination and balance issues, sensory challenges, cognitive problems, pain, and fatigue, all adding to the challenges that come with recovery.
Can you regain mobility after a stroke? If you’re suffering from stroke-impaired physical mobility, recovering mobility is possible, but can be difficult. Recovering may require physical therapy in order to get help adapting to daily life and deal with mobility after a stroke. If you’re dealing with impaired physical mobility related to a stroke, care plans are also important in order to facilitate the healing process. There are many mobility aids for stroke patients that may make getting around easier while regaining mobility after a stroke, all offered by 101 Mobility:
- Stairlifts and home elevators: If your home has stairs, you might want to consider getting a mobility aid after suffering from a stroke in order to make navigating them a bit easier. Both stairlifts and elevators can help you move between floors. The type of aid you’ll want depends on your particular set of challenges, budget, and more. If you are able to transfer to a chair, a stairlift may suffice. If you’re looking for something more advanced and convenient, or need to remain in a wheelchair, an elevator may be a better option for you.
- Grab bars: If a stroke has made you or a loved one less stable, grab bars can be an extremely helpful tool. These stroke mobility aids can be added almost anywhere in the home, especially where falls are common, such as in the bathroom. They’re customizable, with placement depending on height, needs, and preference. They can provide extra support while re-learning daily activities and regaining mobility after a stroke.
- Wheelchair ramps: If a stroke has made it difficult to navigate the stairs or has put you in a wheelchair, there are many ramp options available to help you get into your home more easily. Ramps are also an option when it comes to getting to other areas of your home that may now be more hard to reach.
Explore our additional mobility aids for stroke patients or reach out to us for a free in-home consultation. If you’re wondering, can stroke patients regain mobility?, we’re here to help. We have stroke mobility aids to assist you with recovery. We can also inform you about regaining mobility after a stroke, making your home as comfortable and accessible as possible.
Focusing on the Road Ahead
Strokes can be dangerous and scary, often disrupting your life. However, if you or your loved one suffers from a stroke, there is hope—and regaining mobility after a stroke is possible. World Stroke Day serves as a great reminder that you’re not alone and that there is support available when it comes to mobility for stroke patients. Focus on creating a plan to move forward and remember to take it day by day.
At 101 Mobility, we’re here to support stroke survivors on World Stroke Day—and beyond. We aim to enhance the lives of our customers with high-quality mobility aids for stroke patients, and have an array of available options designed to help with mobility after a stroke. We’re here with service and support you can count on, helping you maintain autonomy while aging in place, and ensuring you’re able to envision a better future ahead. Contact us today for more information on stroke mobility aids and let’s work on helping you move forward more comfortably—and confidently.
