Each year in June, National Stroke Association brings the stroke community together to raise our collective voice in the halls of Congress on issues important to the stroke community. This action shows our numbers and our passion for preventing stroke and lessening its impact on the lives of today’s and future stroke survivors.Take action today and make your voice heard in the halls of Congress on stroke-related issues and legislation. Last year, network members from every state sent more than 4,450 messages to Congress. Help us beat that number by sending messages to your members of Congress today!

We’re focusing on five actions Congress can take right now to improve the lives of stroke survivors, caregivers, family members and the healthcare professionals who care for them. These include:

Repeal the caps on Medicare therapy services
Help stroke survivors return to work
Support advancements in stroke diagnosis, treatment and recovery
Fund the BRAIN Initiative
Learn more about stroke by joining a stroke- or neurology-related group
Learn more about these actions and urge your members of Congress to take one or more of them today!

Take Action

10 common misconceptions about stroke – from Barrow Neurological Institute:

Strokes aren’t preventable. Fact: Approximately 80 percent of strokes can be prevented with healthy lifestyle changes.
Strokes are painful. Fact: The symptoms that often lead to stroke, such as dizziness or a loss of balance, do not cause sudden pain.

Smoking doesn’t cause a stroke. Fact: Smoking is a large risk factor for stroke.

Strokes are rare. Fact: Every 45 seconds, someone in United States has a stroke and, on average, one American dies from a stroke every 4 minutes.

Drugs and alcohol use don’t increase the risk of stroke. Fact: Substance abuse and excessive alcohol consumption are leading indicators for stroke among the young.

Misdiagnosis is rare. Fact: An estimated 1 in 7 strokes in young adults is misdiagnosed.

Strokes can’t be treated. Fact: Patients who receive treatment for stroke within 4.5 hours of their first symptoms tend to have better outcomes.

It’s all in the genes. Fact: Although family history does play a role in the risk of stroke, the hereditary conditions that increase stroke risk can often be controlled.

High blood pressure and cholesterol should not be taken seriously. Fact: High blood pressure and high cholesterol contribute to stroke.

A stroke is a heart condition. Fact: Although many believe a stroke occurs in the heart, it actually takes place in the brain

Read more

Canadians unaware of stroke rehab improvements, By Lynn Desjardins on Wednesday 12 June, 2013

Most Canadians don’t have a good understanding of stroke and 20 per cent mistakenly believe it is almost always fatal, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They often don’t realize that research is dramatically improving the outlook for rehabilitation.

Stroke is a worldwide issue. As young people become more sedentary and eat foods containing high levels of sugar, salt and fat, they increase their chances of getting the “double whammy” of stroke and dementia at a much earlier age than their parents or grandparents, says Dale Corbett, professor of neurosciences at the University of Ottawa and head of the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Centre for Stroke Recovery.

Popular misconception holds that there is not much one can do after having a stroke. But if patients get to hospital quickly they can get drugs which will break down blood clots and dramatically limit the damage they cause.

Science improving rehab

It’s not true that after a few months of rehabilitation there can be no more improvements in a stroke survivor’s condition. Science is moving ahead rapidly in finding ways to rewire the brain to help stroke survivors regain skills they have lost in speech and mobility.

“We’re…into this exciting new area of brain repair and realizing that the brain is highly plastic,” said Corbett, “it can reorganize and rewire. And this is all a relatively new science.

“What we’re finding is that types of rehabilitation—things like exercise and other kinds of interventions—have a large impact on the brain’s ability to help heal itself after stroke…Now what we’re finding is that things like the timing or the intensity or the number of repetitions of rehabilitation makes a big difference in the amount of recovery. So science is starting to lead rehabilitation.”

Families can improve rehabilitation

Families can have an impact on a stroke survivor’s recovery, said Corbett. They can support, encourage, and even push the survivor to work hard on rehabilitation. He cited the example of one parent who built exercise equipment especially adapted to his child’s needs.

“Stroke recovery is a journey that can continue for years or a lifetime,” reads the 2013 report by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. It calls for more funding for research for the ever-growing problem of stroke.

Facts from the Heart and Stroke Foundation:

50,000 strokes occur in Canada each year—one every 10 minutes

315,000 Canadians are living with the effects of stroke.

Stroke costs the Canadian economy $3.6 billion a year.

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults.

Symptoms of stroke:

Weakness, numbness or tingling in face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body.
Trouble speaking or understanding speech.
Sudden blurring, double vision or loss of vision.
Sudden severe headache.
Dizziness, loss of balance.
If you have these symptoms go to a hospital immediately.

Read and listen to Video.

If you could stand in someone else’s shoes… Hear what they hear. See what they see. Feel what they feel. Would you treat them differently?

These words end this incredibly beautiful video produced by the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. We spend quite a bit of effort here at On Being focusing on the sound of the human voice and how each guest adds to our collective discussion. We attempt to draw out the best of their stories and experiences in all its messiness and glory. This video speaks to each person’s complexity, the stories that go unsaid but float just beneath the surface.

Titled “Empathy,” this video was presented by the health care organization’s CEO Toby Cosgrove at his annual State of the Clinic address on February 27, 2013. And it gets at a point that immunologist Esther Sternberg explores in her work and personal life: how new knowledge about the physical spaces of our lives can stress us, make us sick, or help us be well and connect with others.

Check this article and Video out by clicking on Empathy .

By Wendy Corona
ATLANTA — Doctors are referring to the Southeast as the Stroke Belt, and they’ve been seeing a rise in the number of younger stroke victims in the region.

While the decrease in age may be a surprise to many, youth can be an advantage in survival and rehabilitation.

Amanda Parks’ Facebook page chronicles her journey from stroke victim to Shepherd Center patient. A mother of two, Parks was only 37 when the stroke struck March 2.

“My daughter asked me, ‘Mom, what’s wrong? You can only move half your body,’” said Parks.

Dr. Ford Vox, a staff physiatrist at the Shepherd Center said, “She would’ve died had she not gone to the hospital when she did. It was the early treatments that saved her life.”

Part of Parks’ skull had to be removed to reduce swelling on the right side of her brain. Parks wears a helmet now to protect her skull.

Doctors warn that stroke knows no age.

“The No. 1 most important factor that everyone needs to know is what their blood pressure is,” said Vox.

The average age range of a stroke rehab patient is between 60 – 75. At Shepherd Center, the average stroke patient is in their 40s.

With her army of support by her side, Amanda graduated from rehab to a new reality.

“They tend to be these patients on the younger side that we’re trying to focus on and offer the most intensive therapy to because we know that there are many more decades ahead,” said Dr. Vox.

READ full article.

5 Calls to Action for Congress
Posted by Nancy Coulter-Parker Jun 03 2013

1. Co-sponsor the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act (HR 713 and S 367): HR 713 (Rep. Gerlach) and S 367 (Sen. Cardin) would permanently repeal the Medicare therapy caps. Medicare currently caps the amount of money that can be spent per patient, per year on outpatient therapy services. There are two caps — one on physical and speech therapy combined and another for occupational therapy services. As two-thirds of all strokes happen to people 65 years or older, many stroke survivors rely on these services for recovery. Yet, it is estimated that 640,000 Medicare beneficiaries exceed these caps annually. As recovery treatment is not one size fits all, this cap can detrimentally cut treatment off at a time when stroke survivors are trying to recover to their fullest potential.

2. Support National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: In order to continue to fight to reduce the incidence and impact of stroke, new advancements must be pursued. We support funding levels at $32 billion for NIH and $1.7 billion for NINDS. Research conducted by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has helped to make significant advances in stroke diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, including establishing the only FDA-approved treatment for acute stroke care, tPA. NINDS research has saved lives and reduced the impact of stroke on survivors. In addition, NIH and NINDS research has contributed to the economy by supporting 432,000 jobs in 2011 in the U.S.

3. Co-sponsor Return-to-Work Legislation: Legislation recently introduced in the Senate (Sen. Kirk and Sen. Tim Johnson) calls on the Department of Labor, via the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), to promote awareness and assistance among employers to enable stroke survivors to return to work. For younger stroke survivors, returning to work can be a central part to recovery. JAN is a free service of the U.S. Department of Labor for both employees and employers. It provides tools and guidance on issues related to disability and employment issues.

4. Support funding for the BRAIN Initiative: We support the BRAIN Initiative and making sure the program is funded in the upcoming fiscal year (FY14). The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative is designed to “revolutionize our understanding of the human brain” so researchers can “find new ways to treat, cure, and event prevent brain disorders.” An expanded and deeper understanding of the brain could significantly spur advancements in stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

5. Join a Stroke- or Neurology-related Group. There are a number of congressional member organizations that have a partial focus on stroke. These include: Congressional Neurosciences Caucus (contact Rep. Blumenauer or Rep. McMorris Rodgers); Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition (contact Rep. Capps or Rep. Chris Smith); and Congressional Brain Injury Task Force (contact Rep. Pascrell or Rep. Rooney).

Read the complete article by clicking on Stroke Smart.

The Stroke Advocacy Network’s Virtual Lobby Days event is happening from Monday, June 17 through Friday, June 28. Mark your calendars to participate in this two-week event designated to make the stroke community’s voice heard in Congress on several important stroke-related issues.

As a member of the stroke community, you’re in a unique position to tell your members of Congress why they should learn about stroke and what you expect them to do to support stroke survivors, caregivers, family members and the healthcare professionals who care for them. Be one of thousands of voices on Capitol Hill in June talking about stroke! This year, we’re asking Congress to:

Repeal the caps on Medicare therapy services
Support funding for stroke-related medical research and the BRAIN Initiative
Support return-to-work legislation (introduced by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), himself a stroke survivor)
Watch for ways you can participate in Virtual Lobby Days beginning on June 17!

Contact Stroke Advocacy Network for more information.

Fact 1.

Fact 2.

Fact 3.

Fact 4.

Fact 5.

Fact 6.

Fact 7.

Fact 8.

Fact 9.

Fact 10.

Fact 11.

Fact 12.

Fact 13.

Fact 14.

Join Joan Green, a speech-language pathologist of over 26 years with a special interest in assistive technologies, for this webinar series to learn more about using Mac and PC computers, ios devices such as the iPad, additional devices such as the Livescribe Pen and online sites to:

Enhance planning and organization with calendars, To Do Lists, reminders and alarms
Have text read aloud to speed up processing and improve retention of information
Record audio as you take notes with a special pen, Mac or a tablet
Take advantage of the “cloud” and learn about online bookmarking and organizational tools such as Dropbox and Evernote
​Learn about supplemental learning tools such as online flashcards and video tutorials
Improve spelling and grammar with drill and practice apps and sites as well as spell and grammar checking assistance
Learn to use speech recognition and word prediction programs as well as mind mapping/ brainstorming tools to help with written expression.

Read More and Register by clicking on Webinar Series for:

6/25/13 — Part 1 — Improve organization, attention and executive functioning

6/27/13 — Part 2 — Improve reading and writing

7/1/13 — Part 3- Enhance new learning with free online tools and iPad apps

Cutting Edge Approaches to Aphasia Management
Join www.speechpathology.com June 10 – 14, 2013 for this exciting, five-day LIVE online series presented daily 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Eastern.

Guest Editor: Audrey Holland, Ph.D.

Increasing knowledge and understanding of aphasia continues to be a top priority for speech-language pathologists in health care settings. Each day of this virtual conference, led by distinguished guest editor Audrey Holland, Ph.D., will focus on a specific aphasia intervention technique to help SLPs stay up-to-date on the latest advances in clinical management. Seminars will be conducted by leading experts and offered for ASHA CEUs.

Dr. Holland has spent her career working with people with neurogenic communication disorders and developing innovative treatment techniques in aphasia. She also
 has conducted research aimed both at increasing the understanding of aphasia and related disorders and evaluating the efficacy of treatment.

Click on the about link to find out more and Register for this cutting edge event.