Stroke victims can benefit from new support group
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Backus is offering a new stroke support group for patients and their families to provide emotional support and information about recovery.
A stroke can be very isolating, and the impact of depression on both stroke survivors and their families can be debilitating.
However, attending a stroke support group can minimize this depression. It gives patients and their caregivers a chance to meet others in a similar situation. It also can help them find local resources, learn more about stroke prevention and recovery, and offer emotional support and encouragement.
Backus Hospital is in the process of becoming a certified Primary Stroke Center. A Primary Stroke Center provides a protocoldriven rapid response to stroke patient care that offers the greatest chance for a recovery. These protocols - part of an overall team approach to care - start with EMS, thru the Emergency Department, the patient's hospital stay and rehabilitation.
Stroke is one of the most preventable causes of chronic illness, yet it is the No. 3 cause of death in the United States, and a major cause of serious, long-term disability in adults.
According to the American Stroke Association, about 780,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. This means a stroke occurs every 40 seconds. Stroke kills more than 150,000 people each year, which is about 1 out of every 16 deaths.
Pamela Johnson, a Speech-Language Pathologist in Rehabilitation Services at Backus, said topics for discussion will be decided by group members.
"The purpose of the group is to offer emotional support, share ideas for functional problem solving, and network with others experiencing loss and healing," she said. "Together, we hope to encourage members to feel emotionally secure sharing their experiences of hardships and triumphs."