Fortunately, the American Stroke Association has responded to the problem by creating a program that educates seniors about stroke. The materials which are distributed to senior centers across the country explain the warning signs and risk factors associated with stroke through interactive work sheets and a video presentation. The early results of the program are promising, with 89 percent of the women and 83 percent of the men who participated in the program reporting they can now recognize the warning signs of a stroke. Part of the significance of this problem stems from the fact that with people over age 55, the incidence of stroke more than doubles with each successive decade. While 22 percent of men and 25 percent of women who have an initial stroke die within a year, the percentage moves higher among people 65 and older.
Studies also reveal that the rate of symptomless or silent strokes increase with age.
These silent strokes do their damage over time, gradually blocking the delivery of oxygen to the brain.