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Stroke is the second biggest cause of death in Australia and a major cause of disability - and people living outside major cities need better services and support to protect their health, National Stroke Foundation CEO Erin Lalor said.

Dr Lalor said the Australian Social Trends report, Health outside major cities, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this week, confirmed that while overall life expectancy in Australia continued to climb, serious inequities existed between Australians living in major cities and those who did not.

“The report says that in 2008, people who lived outside major cities were twice as likely as people who lived in major cities to die from a range of illnesses, including high blood pressure,” Dr Lalor said.

“High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke – but through lifestyle changes and treatment it can be managed by those people at risk. The issue facing people in regional and remote areas is access to services. This is compounded by the fact that general knowledge about blood pressure is poor.”

The ABS report also revealed that while dying from a stroke was the second most common cause of death in those who lived in major cities and those who did not, it was 31 per cent more likely to be a cause of death outside major cities.

“It’s vital that public education community campaigns are funded to help people recognise the warning signs of stroke, take action without delay, which will ultimately save lives,” Dr Lalor said.

The independent Birch Review of cardiovascular disease recommended that public education campaigns should be supported to help people recognise the signs of heart attack and stroke and seek emergency treatment. The National Stroke Foundation looks forward to the federal Government’s response to the Birch Report in the near future.

“Understanding your blood pressure level is a critical step towards avoiding stroke,” Dr Lalor said.

“The National Stroke Foundation has been running a community-based blood pressure check program called ‘Know Your Numbers’ in a range of pharmacies throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.”

“With the gaps in health outcomes identified by the ABS report, it shows how important it is that community blood pressure check programs such as Know Your Numbers are adequately resourced so that they can be extended throughout Australia, especially in regional and remote areas.”

For more information go to www.strokefoundation.com.au
For inquiries please contact: Ebru Yaman PR & Media Coordinator: 0488 380 484

The National Stroke Foundation calls on all political parties not to forget the plight of more than 110,000 stroke survivors and their carers living in NSW. Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the NSW community. The effects of stroke can include paralysis, inability to speak, difficulty with memory and thought and problems completing everyday activities such as dressing and eating. Approximately one-third of stroke survivors experience depression after a stroke.

“We know that 74 per cent of stroke survivors return home to the community and that the burden of care for a stroke survivor falls mainly to family and friends,” National Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Erin Lalor said.

“We want to ensure that this sector of the NSW community is not forgotten by political parties who are able to make a difference to the everyday lives of stroke survivors and their carers.”

The National Stroke Foundation has also welcomed the NSW Liberals and Nationals pre-election commitment of $10 million funding to provide health local checks in community pharmacies and workplaces to improve the management of chronic diseases such as stroke.

“Our studies in NSW show that there are alarming number of people who are at risk of a stroke and hospitalisation and they do not know it,” Dr Lalor said.

“Nearly all adult Australians (90 per cent) have at least one preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Community pharmacy programs play a vital role in helping people understand their risk of stroke, understand their blood pressure reading, and get early assistance from their GP if needed.

“The National Stroke Foundation’s pilot Know Your Numbers blood pressure awareness-raising campaign in NSW last year revealed some alarming figures,” Dr Lalor said.

“Of the 4700 people who received a free blood pressure check in 72 community pharmacies almost half (45 per cent) were found to have high blood pressure and almost one-third (29 per cent) of these people were previously unaware of their blood pressure level.

“In total, over one-quarter (28 per cent) of all participants were recommended to visit their GP for a full cardiovascular risk assessment following their free blood pressure check.”

There are often no symptoms of high blood pressure until a stroke or other cardiovascular event occurs. “It is critical that people get their blood pressure checked. Community pharmacy programs are a great way to do this.”

Dr Lalor said the National Stroke Foundation looked forward to working with the next government of New South Wales to improve the independence, care, treatment of stroke survivors and their carers.

For inquiries: National Stroke Foundation PR & Media Coordinator Ebru Yaman –
03) 9670 1000 or 0488 380 484

Image Via www.florey.edu.au

Stroke is still the second biggest cause of death in Australia and incurs crippling health care costs but continues to languish in terms of national health action priorities according to National Stroke Foundation CEO Erin Lalor.

Dr Lalor was commenting on the release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s new report, Cardiovascular Disease: Australian Facts 2011 which states that cardiovascular disease in total was responsible for more deaths than any other disease group (34%) and cost $5.9 billion in 2004-05.

Stroke accounted for 19 per cent of all deaths in the cardiovascular disease group and, according to the report, stroke claimed nearly 9000 lives in 2007 alone. The most recent figures available show that 82 per cent of people who have a stroke are left with a disability.

“These figures confirm the ongoing reality that stroke is a major killer in our community yet there’s no national action plan to reduce the rate of this disease,” Dr Lalor said.

Dr Lalor said she welcomed the report’s findings that death rates for stroke had fallen. “But with an ageing population and risk factors including obesity on the increase, more needs to be done now to prevent the burden of the disease growing, community suffering increasing, and hospital costs escalating.”

Dr Lalor said that the report acknowledged the shortcomings of its data about the prevalence of stroke on page 75: ‘There are no national data on the incidence (new cases) of stroke’. The report’s stroke data is drawn from two studies conducted in 1989-1990 and 1999.

“In the absence of up-to-date figures on the incidence and prevalence of stroke in the community, it’s difficult to accurately respond to community need, or to measure the success of prevention, awareness and treatment programs in a holistic manner,” Dr Lalor said.

Dr Lalor said despite established research that showed patients who were treated in a specialised stroke unit when they presented at hospital with stroke had better outcomes, the AIHW report showed that in 2007-08 only half of the 34,945 stroke hospitalisations in Australia were treated in a stroke unit.

“The treatment of stroke patients in Australia remains inadequate, with processes known to save lives from death and disability not used in enough cases,” she said.

“The AIHW report shows there is an urgent need for federal and state governments to devote greater focus to stroke prevention, research and care – to reduce the impact of Australia’s second biggest killer. “We look forward to the federal Government’s forthcoming response to the Birch review of cardiovascular disease and its recommendations on stroke within the broader national health reform agenda,” Dr Lalor said.

Getting across to men just how bad salt is for their health is the focus of a debate being hosted by The George Institute for Global Health in Sydney today as part of World Salt Awareness Week.

Whilst the adverse affects of high blood pressure on men’s sex lives is clear, the direct link between salt and sex is yet to be proven. There is, however, a huge body of evidence showing that salt is the main cause of high blood pressure which kills thousands of Australian men each year - mostly through premature strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. Excess salt is also implicated in a range of other serious illnesses including stomach cancer, kidney disease, osteoporosis and asthma.

Professor Bruce Neal, Senior Director at The George Institute and Chairman of the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) will open the event by presenting the findings of new research on salt levels in foods commonly eaten by Australian men. New salt targets for the food industry will also be launched on the day. Said Prof Neal, “Whilst we won’t present definitive new evidence linking salt and sex, we are serious about getting the salt message across to men. Men die younger and need to drastically reduce the amount of salt they eat.  But the food industry needs to play its part too.”

He added, “Our latest work reveals the shockingly high levels of salt that are hidden in the processed foods and meals that men are eating every day. Whilst many companies have been reducing salt levels in foods, and the government’s Food and Health Dialogue has set salt targets for bread and breakfast cereals, a greater effort is needed to ensure salt intakes in Australia can be reduced much more quickly. That’s why we have today announced 85 new salt targets for foods.  This will give industry the direction they have been asking for. We will be working closely with companies to help them reduce salt in line with these interim targets in support of ongoing Food and Health Dialogue discussions.

Around 100 delegates will attend the debate which will be chaired by Dr Stan Goldstein Chief Medical Advisor of Bupa Australia. Panel members will include Andrew Giles from the Garvan Research Foundation, Daniel Williams from Men’s Health Magazine, Sue Radd from the Nutrition and Wellbeing Clinic and Jodie McHenery from the Dietitians Association of Australia.

Said Dr Goldstein, “Bupa Australia communicates crucial health information to the public and to its members every day.  Young men (and women) are eating too much salt, developing habits that can unknowingly hit them hard over time - there is clear evidence that this is resulting in premature death and disease.  Getting the message across, especially to men, that they need to reduce their salt intake should be a priority for government and health organisations.”

World Salt Awareness Week runs from March 21st – 27th this year and the theme is Salt and Men’s Health. Other events being organised by AWASH as part of the week include a low salt cooking class and the launch of a new project to assess salt intake in Lithgow, New South Wales. A range of informative materials are also available.

For more on Drop the Salt campaign and AWASH click here.

Suggestions for family and friends.

There are a number of simple strategies that you can give your family and friends to help you with your thinking. Suggest that they:

Give clear and short instructions - no more than five or six words to a sentence and give only one or two instructions together at any time.

Write or draw instructions on paper, for example draw a map.

Keep activities simple.

Encourage the use of memory aids such as diaries, note pads, tape recorders and
calendars.

Be aware that problems can be made worse by stress, tiredness or by being in a busy or noisy environment.

Minimise the clutter around you.

Encourage regular breaks and plenty of time to rest and relax.

Slow down and work through one step at a time.

For more infomation about strategies, thinking and perception click here.

What can you do?

Discuss the problems you are having with your family and friends. Together you may be able to develop some strategies that will help you.

Allow yourself time for rest and relaxation. Plan your day so you have rest breaks, especially before socialising or doing any jobs. You may need an afternoon nap.

Pace yourself. Do not try to complete a big job all in one go. Try breaking the task into
smaller manageable parts. You may need to get your week’s shopping over three or four different days, or get someone to help you.

Let people know when you are having trouble with something. Allow them to help.

Use a diary, day planner, calendar or note pad to help you remember things. Simply writing down appointments or tasks often helps you to remember.

Photos or pictures can also trigger your memory.

Use other memory aids such as tape recorders, pagers, mobile phones alarms, lists or even notes placed around the house to prompt you to remember important things.

Check your calendar, newspaper or diary to help you remember the day and date.

Reduce the amount of information you have to think about at any one time. For example, turn off the TV or radio and focus on what someone is saying when they speak to you.

You may need to go to a quiet place to focus on reading or learning something new.

Get into a routine. After your stroke, your brain needs time to re-learn activities so it is often good to do the simple things regularly. Live a healthy lifestyle. Your brain works more effectively when you eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and exercise at least three times a week.
Ask your family or friends to remind you about certain things. For example, reminders to look towards your affected side are useful for people with neglect.

Make sure that you have your glasses checked after the stroke if you have problems with eyesight. You may be instructed to wear special glasses, or use computer programs that aim to improve your sight.

Remember, your brain is like any other part of your body; it responds to training, so think about exercising your brain often.

Seek help from your doctor or health professional if you are having difficulties with your thinking or want more information.

For helpful strategies for family members and friends click here.

Image Via lesleywomenscenter.blogspot.com

There are many reasons to pen your story and for some people a life-changing event is the catalyst. It can help you come to terms with where you are in your life and can also offer some comfort and even inspiration to others who read about your journey. It can also record your account of your life for future generations of your family.

Memoirs are different to autobiographies in that they are not intended to be a chronological account of every step of your life and they will read better if they are not approached this way.

Memoirs tend to deal with a specific theme and tell their story around that, including only details that are in some way relevant to that theme. Although they are by definition true accounts they are generally told in a way that has follows the style of fiction than a typical autobiography. Focus on the story as you tell it; your life from your point of view.

So – write in the first person, try to complete a whole draft and then edit it (rather than editing as you go), steer away from unnecessary detail and be prepared for what may be an emotional ride at times as you reflect on your past. Happy writing!

Note: A Google search will bring up a lot of good articles to research before starting your Memoirs.

Perception

Perception refers to the way our brain receives messages from our five senses (smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing) and then understands and makes sense of messages.

After a stroke you may have difficulty:

Feeling touch, pain, heat or cold in your affected limbs or face.

Seeing. You may find half of your vision in each eye is lost. This might result in changes with reading, watching TV or seeing things around you. Seeing things on your affected side including parts of your body. This is called neglect. If you have neglect you may not see people or things in the room on your affected side.

You may have trouble reaching for objects, judging distance and you may, bump into things, or knock things over. You may also have difficulty watching TV or reading.

Thinking or perceptual changes can affect many aspects of your life including:

Normal everyday activities. You may find that you have trouble doing things such as dressing, showering, cooking or shopping because you forget some steps, need help getting organised or get tired easily.

Social activities or hobbies. You may find that you have trouble remembering peoples’ names, concentrating on conversations especially with more than one person, remembering what has been said or that you may get tired easily. This might stop you socialising or doing the things you once enjoyed.

Your feelings. You may find that you have difficulty doing the things you once did due to changes in your thinking skills. This can result in feelings of hopelessness, frustration, anger or sadness for you and your family.

It can occasionally lead to depression (for more information please refer to the National Stroke Foundation fact sheet ‘Depression after stroke’)

Driving. You may find that your ability to drive safely may be affected (for more information please refer to the National Stroke Foundation fact sheet ‘Driving after stroke’). You should not return to driving without medical approval.

It is important to note that changes with thinking can at times be potentially dangerous. You may forget to turn the stove off or take food out of the oven resulting in a fire. You may forget to take your medications or take too many, which can affect your health. You may get lost or disorientated when walking around familiar environments or have difficulty crossing busy roads.

It is important that you and your family and friends are aware of the difficulties you may be having and the dangers these can present.

For more information including strategies for stroke survivors and carers click here.

Stroke can affect your thinking skills making you feel confused about what is going on around you. Feelings of frustration, anger or sadness for you and your family are common.

Thinking or cognition

You may hear the word cognition used by health professionals. It is another word used to describe your thinking skills.

After a stroke you may have difficulty:

Staying awake and alert. You may find yourself getting tired quickly.

Paying attention. You may find it hard to concentrate on conversations, television programs or things going on around you.

Orientating yourself to what the day and date is, where you are or who the people around you are.

Remembering what happened that day or in the past week, who people are or even why you are in hospital.

You may be able to remember what happened to you before your stroke but remembering new information or new people may be difficult.

Reasoning or understanding information so you can accurately solve problems.

You may have difficulty with money or numbers.

Planning what you are going to do.

You may find you forget steps in daily activities such as putting your socks on before your shoes,  or forgetting to take your toiletries to the bathroom when you need them.

It is important to be aware that many things can affect your ability to think clearly.  If you are tired, emotional,  stressed or in a busy or noisy environment you may find it harder to think clearly.

For more information and strategies for people who have had a stroke and their carers click here to download a great brochure.

Blokes have strokes.

Natalie Bird, a speech pathologist working in Melbourne’s inner southern suburbs, recognised that her male clients who had suffered a stroke had needs in therapy that were unlike the needs of other clients. For the particular requirements of these men she set up a very different kind of support group. Her focus was on helping to treat communication difficulties in a relaxed, social setting. As a direct result ‘Blokes with Strokes’ was born two years ago.

Access to the group is not designed to be exclusive but it is select. Participants must be male and must have communication difficulties as a result of their stroke – they must also be referred by a speech pathologist.

Natalie explains that while the group operates as a social outlet for participants, meeting fortnightly on Mondays over coffee, it has a distinct therapeutic aim:

“I try to make sure that the group doesn’t get too crowded and that it keeps the right mix of speech ability among the members” she says.

“That way the members have a chance to develop with each other and draw from one another’s strengths.”

The group, which attracts up to 12 members each fortnight on a Monday, has grown so large that a splinter group has formed, and this spin-off group meets every other Monday.

Natalie took the opportunity to coach two original group members to facilitate the spin-off group meetings.

“We keep the group to a manageable size so that we can still get the interaction going between people,” she says.

Only carers are allowed – no wives, or partners.

“Our focus is very much on the men and their stroke recovery,” Natalie says.

“I want everyone to feel uninhibited, to be able to speak their mind to the best of their ability.
“And sometimes it’s home life that people need to talk about.”

Among the group’s members are a former architect and AFL player; a former dentist, a Vietnam veteran, and a commercial property lawyer.

Some of the group’s members say that some stigma remains attached to stroke and when men are left with significant disability at the height of their career and family life. Their personal relationships suffer and they are stripped of their income.

“One minute you are working and the next minute you are not working. The men here understand the psychological and financial pressure that puts you under,” says one group member.

Natalie says that she has started similar groups for young women who had suffered a stroke but found the need was entirely different and the groups don’t run anymore.

“Women would come along at the acute time but once they were back at home after the stroke they tended to meld back into their social networks,” she says.

“I found that with men who had had a stroke it was a different situation entirely – they didn’t always have the networks in place to begin with so a major life change and suddenly having to live with a disability found many of my clients feeling isolated.

“We chat and communicate and at the same time provide a social outlet and support.”

To contact Natalie at Blokes with strokes email her natalie.bird@cgmc.org.au