In order for your clients to have the best change at survival and recovery after a stroke, it’s extremely important to know the signs of one. Being able to identify when your client is having a stroke allows for you to immediately call for help. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, receiving treatment within 60 minutes of the stroke’s onset could prevent disability. Knowing the symptoms is crucial to identifying a stroke:

- Numbness or paralysis on one side of the body, especially in the face, arm or leg
- Difficulty or confusion speaking or understanding others
- Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Severe unexplained headache

Keep in mind that the onset of these symptoms will be sudden, and not a gradual build up over time. Since stroke affects the brain, it is more difficult for the person having the stroke to detect the warning signs. If you are concerned about stroke, talk to you family about in-home senior care to make sure you or your loved one is always looked after so someone will be there to recognize the symptoms of stroke.