The rate of strokes has been on the decline in the United States recently, and some surprising statistics illuminate how this is unfolding. For years, strokes have been far more common in men than in women, but according to recent statistics, this trend may have changed. If the incoming numbers are accurate, strokes are now the fourth leading cause of death in women, which has not changed, but the likelihood of death in men has dropped so that strokes are now only the fifth leading cause of death amongst males.
This change is so surprising for a couple different reasons. For one, men have a lower life expectancy than women in the U.S. The gap is currently a little less than five years, with women living noticeably longer, on the average. This has helped women to have a slightly larger share of the population than men have. Based on pure statistics, you would expect women to have more strokes, if only because there are more women than men. If strokes occurred with the same likelihood in men as in women, then there would be more in this part of the population.
But history shows us that this isn’t necessarily the case. In the past, women have had a significantly lower rate of stroke than men. This trend has changed. While the overall rate of strokes in the U.S. has dropped, this is largely because it has dropped in men. In women, the rate has remained mostly unchanged.
In the end, stats are helpful, but only to a point. They let us know when widespread changes happen. What they don’t tell us is what we should do when these things happen to the people that we love. Finding a great care team that can walk you through this process should be high on your list of family needs.
Strokes are still occurring with regularity in our country, however. This means that proper stroke treatment, and post stroke care will be necessary for many families. Choosing the appropriate care for your elderly loved one’s needs is important. For many, after the hospital stay, in-home care is more than enough to satisfy their needs. It is important that you consult with a physician before this decision is made, though. In-home care is versatile, but it is not best for everyone. And if you do go with an in-home care, be sure that you only use a caregiver that is part of a larger service and that they have been thoroughly trained. This will add an extra layer of safety as your mom or dad receives the care that they need to make it through each day safely.
Be sure that you get in touch with us at Paradise In-Home Care for a free consultation if you have any questions about finding high quality senior care. We might not be the right service for every single family, but we will do our best to point you toward the resources that you need if we are not ideal for your unique needs.
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