STROKE WARNING SIGNS

A stroke occurs when the flow of blood to a part of the brain is cut off. This can be due to something (usually a blood clot) blocking the flow of blood to the brain (ischemic stroke). It can also be caused by a burst blood vessel bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). About 80% of strokes are ischemic and 20% are hemorrhagic. Without a blood supply, the brain cells in the affected area start to die.
The effects of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is affected and how severe the damage is. A stroke may affect your ability to move, your ability to speak and understand speech, your memory and problem-solving abilities, your emotions, and your senses of touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste. In some cases, a stroke can be fatal.
It's important to recognize the warning signs of stroke, because quick treatment can reduce the risk of brain injury and death. A stroke usually comes on suddenly, over a few minutes or hours. The warning signs of stroke include:

• sudden weakness, numbness, or tingling of the face, arm, or leg (often on only one side of the body)
• sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or trouble understanding speech
• sudden vision loss (often in one eye only) or double vision
• sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or falls
• sudden severe headache (often described as "the worst headache of my life") with no known cause

If you notice these symptoms, call 911 (or your emergency medical number if you do not have 911 service) immediately. Stroke is a medical emergency.

Elderly are Easy Targets of Financial Scams

Senior Safety is an important issue, including financial safety.  More than ever, the elderly have become targets of financial fraud, and surprisingly the scammers are of retirement age themselves! “One out of five Americans over the age of 65 has been the victim of a financial scam, according to the Washington-based Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit that promotes shareholder education. That means more than 7.3 million seniors have been taken advantage of financially through inappropriate investments, high fees, or fraud, which insurer MetLife says comes at a cost of more than $2.6 billion a year. “Older people are being targeted because, as 1930s robber Willie Sutton said when asked why he robs banks, ‘that’s where the money is,’” says Kathleen Quinn, executive director of the National Adult Protective Services Assn. in Springfield, Ill.”
“Many of today’s scammers have a particularly good understanding of their victims–because the fraudsters themselves are of retirement age, if not exactly retired. More elderly con artists than ever seem to be preying on retirees, perhaps because senior citizens put more confidence in someone their age, says Denise Voigt Crawford, president of the North American Securities Administrators Assn. “It’s astounding that you can’t even trust older people anymore,” Crawford says.” (Bloomberg Business Week-Scams:  A Sucker Retires Every Minute, July 15 2010)

The primary way that seniors are taken advantage of is by purchasing financial products that are inappropriate, unsuitable and at times down right fraudulent.   Seniors, including veterans, who are isolated are likely to become targets, and their retirement assets are at great risk.  If you are the caretaker of an aging senior, please take the time to make sure that their retirement savings are secure, and that any changes are truly in their best interest.  If you are have an aging parent living alone, or are a long distance caregiver, reach out for professional care giving help to insure the overall safety of your aging family member.  For help with an aging loved one in the California San Francisco Bay Area, visit VillaCareHomes.com