A stroke can be a devastating event in your elderly mom or dad’s life. A stroke can cause permanent disability, and can alter their lifestyles for the rest of their life. It can take an able bodied person, and keep them confined to a wheelchair, or cause difficulty with speaking, or a range of other limitations. The unfortunate reality, though, is that the older we get, the more likely a stroke is to occur. And for those of us with parents or grandparents in their senior years, this is something that could very well happen.
In the past, it was assumed that the inflammation that takes place in the brain was a good thing and helpful toward the healing process. A surprise study, however, has recently revealed that this swelling actually makes things worse symptom and health wise for those that have suffered the stroke. The long term implication of this is that the inflammation makes recovery tougher, long after the initial damage has been done by a lack of oxygen to the brain. This is a normal thing in our bodies–swelling is a sign that increased blood is bringing white blood cells to an injury or sickness to repair the damage. But, if this action is causing extra damage within post-stroke brains, by reducing the inflammation, further disability could be prevented, and the quality of life in stroke victims could be improved in a big way. For those that want to prevent a stay in a nursing home for the people that they love, this is one way to help avoid this.
Around the world, strokes account for 10 percent of deaths and they are the leading cause of disability. They can be difficult to prevent, but exercise can help reduce the chances of having blocked arteries and other blood ways a little bit. So can a good diet with low cholesterol intake. If you have an older loved one, these are all things to keep in mind, especially if you are already beginning to plan senior care or in-home care.
There are further implications of this study. A drug that is being developed to help treat Alzheimer’s disease has been targeting an inflammatory chemical called NLRP3, but this particular substance was not found to be harmful in this study. Instead, two others were: NLRC4 and AIM2. By targeting these in other studies, the damage done by Alzheimer’s might be found to be slowed, in addition to what is happening within stroke research. This is a long shot, but little things like this are what helps researchers find focus and keep moving forward. Even if it doesn’t work, it is one more thing that researchers in this field can use to their advantage as they come up with better treatments for these illnesses.
If you do have a loved one that is dealing with stroke recovery, care is often a necessity. In-home care can be a great help if you are still working, or have an otherwise busy life. Combining senior care with loving caregivers is a great way to give your parent the best and still keep your own lifestyle the same.
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