Caregivers’ Luncheon March 20
Caregivers’ luncheons are held monthly to afford caregivers a chance to discuss concerns and solutions for assisting loved ones affected by neurologic conditions. This month’s luncheon will be held Friday, March 20 at 11:30 a.m. If you are a caregiver for an individual affected by stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy or more rare neurologic disorders, please join us. If you are your own caregiver we also welcome you. Contact Elke Mulligan, membership chairperson, at 825-3641 or Sigrid Silverman, social chairperson, at 825-8684 so that we may welcome you. Thanks to Esta Goldstein for holding the February luncheon in her home.
Alzheimer’s Association Legal Program March 31
Tuesday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m. in MountainView Ballroom West, Sally Simpson, elder care specialist at Simpson Law Office PLLC, will provide an Overview of Elder Law Issues in Arizona. This will be the third in a series in SaddleBrooke sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association of Southern Arizona.
April 13 Board of Directors Meeting
On Monday, April 13 at 9:30 a.m. a spring meeting of our board of directors will be held. If you are a current member of the board or are interested in joining for the 2015/2016 year, please call one of our co-presidents Liz Boyd at 825-5587 or Arrah Jane Hill at 825-7002 for further information.
April 21 Stroke Check Morning
Hospitals in the area will be participating on Tuesday, April 21 from 8:00 a.m. to noon in free StrokeCheck clinics. You will learn more about stroke, your risk and how to control the risk factors. Information from Tucson Medical Center states that appointments are not necessary and the last intake is at 11:30 a.m. Allow 45 minutes for screening. For best results, eight hour fasting is recommended. For further information from TMC call 324-1960.
Stents Advance Stroke Care Dramatically
Stroke experts are now reporting a major advance. Stents similar to those used to open clogged heart arteries may also be used to clear a blood clot in the brain, greatly lowering the risk a patient will become disabled. One study found the death rate was cut almost in half for those receiving the treatment. Patients treated with these brain stents are far more likely to be alive and able to live independently three months after their stroke. This treatment is aimed at strokes caused by clots not responding to clot-dissolving medicine or TPA (tissue plasminogen activator). It is not effective for hemorrhagic strokes. One important thing to remember: seek treatment for signs of stroke, which are the following:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call 911 if you or a companion are experiencing any of these symptoms.