Stroke costs the Ontario economy almost a billion dollars a year and is a leading cause of death and adult neurological disability. Currently, at least 90,000 Ontarians are living with the effects of stroke, such as motor, sensory, cognitive or communication deficits.
Stroke is believed to be one of the leading causes of transfer of the elderly to long-term care.
As the population of Ontario ages, the number of strokes is expected to increase. Stroke poses a number of challenges to not only the health care system but to the citizens of Ontario. In the past, it was assumed that little could be done to prevent or treat stroke. With the advent of new knowledge and therapies, there is the potential to dramatically improve stroke care in Ontario. There is now good scientific evidence that strokes can be prevented and acute care and rehabilitation appreciably enhanced.