Tuesday, May 8, is Stroke Alert Day, a community effort to educate the public about the symptoms of stroke and the need to call 911 at the onset of these symptoms.
Getting to the emergency room within three hours increases the likelihood of a good outcome by 50 percent.
Stroke, third-leading cause of death in the U.S., is a particular threat to older people, and for many who survive, it’s a life sentence of disability, paralysis, memory loss, vision impairment, and speech and language difficulties.
Delaware Valley Stroke Council (
www.strokealert.org) is sponsoring the Dr. Howard Mazer Memorial “Strides for Stroke,” a 5K Run/Walk on West River Drive Sunday, June 3, starting at 9 a.m. at Art Museum Circle. Registration and check-in are at 7 a.m., the opening ceremony is at 8:30 a.m. and the awards presentation is at the conclusion.
Individually or as a team, you can register by mail until May 25, at Delaware Valley Stroke Council, 1528 Walnut St., Suite 903, Philadelphia, Pa., 19102, or online until May 31 at
http://www.phillystroke.org.
Chestnut Hill Health System has launched a new membership program for men and women 50 and older.
Senior Circle members receive in-hos-pital discounts, called HealthPERKS — free parking, free private room upgrades, free meal voucher for a family member for each day and more. A member admitted to the hospital receives a bag with small items, including playing cards, a note pad and pen, a pill box and a bandage dispenser.
Osteoporosis is not just a woman’s problem, a Canadian researcher advises. The bone-wasting disease can severely affect men, too.
One in eight men over 50 has osteoporosis (compared to one in four older women), yet doctors often underestimate how common it is in men, noted Dr. Aliya A. Khan in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. So, men who sustain fractures are “more likely to die or suffer a disability.”
Khan, a professor of clinical medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., led a group of five experts in developing guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and management of osteoporosis in men.
Aging increases bones’ brittleness, so the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and National Athletic Trainers’ Association have developed guidelines to help older Americans avoid falls and lower the incidence of serious injuries when falls occur.
They recommend keeping your muscles and bones strong by following an exercise regimen; making the home safer with some simple improvements, such as good lighting; slip-resistant walking surfaces; grab-bars and night lights in bathrooms; removal of throw rugs; a full physical evaluation annually, including vision and hearing tests; and shoes with good support.
San Francisco State University researchers Erik Pepper and Stephen Francis attribute more than 300,000 hip fractures to the effects of aging (osteoporosis, loss of balance, decreased mobility, etc.), but have concluded that aging is not necessarily the only factor. Contributing to the risk of fracture, they say, is sitting most of the day in cars or in front of computers and TVs.
A Healthy Vision Month reminder:
If over 60, you’re at higher risk for glaucoma, but early detection and treatment can control the disease and prevent vision loss, advises the National Eye Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health. A comprehensive dilated eye exam every one or two years is vital for seniors; in many cases, it’s covered by Medicare.