Amy Edmunds, a stroke survivor, is a globally recognised advocate of young adult stroke patients. Her group – YoungStroke, Inc., is a 501 c3 non-profit advocacy organisation that evolved from her graduate research to extend understanding of the stroke experience among young adults and their
caregivers.
Referring to young stroke survivors in her article “Speak Up and Speak Out”, she says:
When stroke leaves a young adult with aphasia, the sudden loss of ability to communicate imposes hardships upon social and workplace relationships which differ from geriatric stroke survivors.
Social relationships are often honed during early adulthood as interpersonal evolve during dating and early marriage. Young adults who experience aphasia may forfeit opportunities to build such meaningful, committed relations due to their inability to effectively express emotions
. . . in addition to managing other deficits imposed by stroke. In contrast, many geriatric survivors have already experienced such relationships. Additionally, many have nurtured long-lasting friendships and raised children into adulthood.
Amy adds:
Globally, young stroke survivors are an emerging population driven by epidemics of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Within six years, nearly two million Americans who have suffered a stroke or brain injury will be living with aphasia according to the
American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
The growth in survivors – with stroke or stroke resulting in aphasia, correlates with the formation and growth of Facebook groups specifically for young adults (ages 18 to 50 of age).
Here we identify some of the leading groups for young people with stroke and aphasia.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE Continue reading →
Road traffic accidents, falls, and strokes can all cause acquired brain injury (ABI). But it is increasingly recognised that Covid-19 can also cause a range of neurological issues. Image: Shutterstock
It’s probably cream and sugar, or maybe it’s black and strong?
