FAST – Face, Arms, Speech and Time !
As baby boomers age (it comes to us all!) they become more likely to suffer from diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes and strokes. Psychological articles teach us that stroke victims’ lives often depend on the ability of their companions and carers to recognise the early signs of an oncoming stroke and act quickly enough to get prompt and effective medical attention.
Face: A person who is suffering a stroke will likely have also sustained some slackening of the facial muscles. Study the person’s face carefully: if you are in doubt, ask them to smile. The smile might be decidedly lop-sided. There might also be a severe headache or blurred vision and dizziness. Ask the person if they have a headache rather than wait for developments and bear in mind that a stroke is not a condition that should be monitored over a few hours: time is paramount when dealing with stroke victims. Baby boomers living at home with the family are somewhat more fortunate than those living independently, as they are more likely to be diagnosed with stroke early on as a result of younger family members noticing facial features changing.
Arms: the arms will certainly be sluggish and heavy as a result of suffering a stroke and possible even become suddenly paralysed. If facial features have already rung some alarm bells, check arm movements and see if the person can lift their arms up and down easily without involuntarily letting one or both fall. Stand close by when asking the person to lift their arms, as a stroke victim might over balance when attempting to lift their arms up and down.
Speech: A baby boomer with stroke symptoms might not be able to compute a sentence properly. Symptoms vary from person to person but when suffering from a stroke, few patients can repeat a sentence without slurring, getting the words jumbled or losing the ability to speak completely. The tongue simply refuses to perform properly and the person might appear a little dumbfounded as they slowly realise they are unable to speak clearly.
Time: Psychological articles advocate that the question of time is the most important one as it underlines the absolute urgency of seeking profession medical help as quickly as possible. The treatment available for stroke victims relies on the windows of opportunity presented through the onset of more severe damage occurring within the brain. Obviously, the quicker treatment is received, the more likely the patient is to recover, either in part or in full. A popular phrase is ‘the quicker you act, the more of the person you save’ and it is true that a prompt 911 call at this time can make all the difference to a sufferer’s ability to climb back from the damage caused by stroke.
If you are living with an elderly baby boomer, watch for the signs of stroke and if you think any of these symptoms have appeared, do not hesitate to call for emergency medical help as you could not only save a life; you could also make the difference to the quality of the life you have saved.