Stroke/Neuro Support Group

Luncheon May 15 at Preserve Grill

Late spring and summer luncheons will be held at the Preserve Grill beginning May 15 at 11:30 a.m. Our Program Chair Esta Goldstein has arranged preferred seating for us during the summer months. While all are encouraged to join us, members should respond to an email invitation to our membership list so that we have an idea of the size of table needed. If you have not previously come to these luncheons, contact one of our co-presidents, Liz Boyd at 825-5587 or Arrah Jane Hill at 825-7002, for more information so that we may welcome you to our table.

We give great and sincere thanks to Ed and Carolee Lawrence for hosting the April in-home luncheon. Also thanks to other excellent cooks for their contributions to this luncheon and throughout the year. Caregivers’ luncheons are held monthly to support caregivers and to give them an opportunity to discuss concerns and solutions for assisting loved ones affected by neurologic conditions. Many of us have experienced these situations and may be able to assist others in managing similar instances. If you are a caregiver for an individual affected by stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy or more unusual neurologic disorders, please join us. Also, if you are your own caregiver, you are cordially invited to join us.

Go Red for Women Now 10 Years Old

Most of us are familiar with February as Red Dress for Women month sponsored by the American Heart Association (now the parent organization of American Stroke Association). February has come to mean raising our awareness for prevention of heart disease in women. Heart disease in the U.S. is the number one killer of women and men, with stroke as the number four killer. In the first 10 years of the GO RED campaign, more than 627,000 lives have been saved according to the AHA. With the right education and care, we can treat, prevent and even wipe out heart disease in women. Research shows that women who participate in the GO RED movement are more likely to make healthy lifestyle choices:

* More than one-third have lost weight

* Six out of 10 have improved their diets

* Nearly 50 percent have increased their amount of exercise

* More than 40 percent have had their cholesterol levels checked

* One-third have talked with their doctors about developing heart-health plans

Enjoy Our Spring Flowers—They’re Good for Your Health

In one ten month study on blooms’ effects on humans, researchers found that bouquets can alleviate depression and anxiety and lead to an enhanced sense of wellbeing. Seniors have been shown to do better on memory-challenging tasks in their presence. Researchers have also found that the smell of lavender may affect blood chemistry and gene activity, causing stress levels to drop. Don’t dismiss the age-old advice to “stop and smell the roses.”