Charity calls for support as poll reveals ‘significant’ impact of stroke

Three in 10 working age stroke survivors have lost their job as a result of having a stroke, a new poll suggests.

The Stroke Association said that the physical and emotional impact of having a stroke can be “severe” as it released the results of a poll of stroke survivors.

Some 100,000 strokes occur every year in the UK, leading to 38,000 deaths, and are a leading cause of death and disability, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Strokes, which occur when the blood flow to part of the brain is cut off, are a medical emergency and even short delays to treatment can be deadly or leave patients with life-altering disabilities.

The new survey of 3,500 stroke survivors found:

– 30% of those under the age of 60 who survived a stroke said it directly led to them losing their job.

– 6% of under-60s said it led to them losing their home.

– 23% of stroke survivors under the age of 60 said their stroke had a negative impact on their relationship with their partner and 20% said they lost friends as a result.

– 60% of stroke survivors under the age of 50 said they never emotionally recovered from the impact of having a stroke, compared with 44% over the age of 50.

– Half of all stroke survivors surveyed said they have not physically recovered from their stroke.

The charity released the results of the poll as it called for people to donate funds to give stroke survivors “hope” after a stroke.

It said that 76% of stroke survivors said that hope played an important role in recovery.

The Stroke Association is trying to raise funds for its specialist services including a helpline, peer support service, support groups and support co-ordinators.

Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: “Every five minutes, someone in the UK will have a stroke and in a flash, their life is changed.

“Two thirds of people who survive a stroke find themselves living with a disability.

“The physical impact of a stroke is severe, but for many, the emotional aspects of coming to terms with having a stroke are just as significant.

“Finding hope is a crucial part of the recovery process. Without it, recovery can seem impossible.

“At the Stroke Association, we support and help people to find this hope, and rebuild their lives, but with 1.3 million people in the UK now living with the effects of a stroke, our services have never been more stretched.

“We urgently require the support of the public to help us continue to support stroke survivors to rebuild their lives.”

– The charity has asked people to donate via its website: stroke.org.uk/hopeafterstroke