Hope after a stroke: Almost a third of Yorkshire stroke survivors lost their job after their stroke with some even losing their home or partner – but having ‘hope’ is critical to recovery

• 26% of stroke survivors in Yorkshire say having a stroke cost them their job. UK wide almost one in ten say it caused their relationship to end and 6% even lost their home
• Across the UK, over half of younger stroke survivors under the age of 50 say they have never emotionally recovered from their stoke
• But a quarter felt first signs of hope after a week since having a stroke – although nearly one in seven have not felt any hope since it happened
• The Stroke Association calls for those who can to donate to give more survivors hope after a stroke
• Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant.
• The Stroke Association is a charity working across the UK to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke. We believe that everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. From local support services and groups, to online information and support, anyone affected by stroke can visit stroke.org.uk or call our dedicated Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100 to find out about support available locally.
• Our specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the courage and determination of the stroke community and the generosity of our supporters. With more donations and support, we can help rebuild even more lives.
• · You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn

Embargoed until 13 October 2021 – The practical, emotional and physical impact of having a stroke has been laid bare by a new survey of over 3,500 stroke survivors across the UK, released today. The research, conducted by the Stroke Association ahead of World Stroke Day (29 October), is part of a renewed call for vital funds to help the charity give more survivors hope after their stroke and help them to rebuild their lives.

The impact on survivors In Yorkshire

The research reveals that over 26% of those in Yorkshire who survived a stroke say it directly led to them losing their job whilst 6% say it led to them losing their home.

UK wide, nearly a quarter (23%) say it had a negative impact on their relationship with their partner, with almost one in ten (9%) saying it led to their relationship ending. It is not only relationships with partners that are affected – a fifth (20%) say they lost friends as a result of having a stroke.

Younger survivors more severely impacted

Looking at stroke survivors across the UK, the research reveals that the emotional impact of a stroke can impact younger survivors more severely. Amongst those under the age of 50, six in ten (60%) say that they’ve never emotionally recovered from the impact of their stroke. This compares to 44% for those over the age of 50.

This is despite a similar number of younger stroke survivors under the age of 50 (52%) and over the age of 50 (50%) saying they have not physically recovered from their stroke.

The importance of hope

The research shows the importance and transformative power of feeling hope after having a stroke. Three quarters of those surveyed in the UK (76%) say that hope played an important or critical part in their recovery.

But for many, it was not a quick process. Whilst a quarter (25%) say they began to feel hope after a month since their stroke, for over a fifth (22%) it took more than a year to experience what they felt was the first sign of hope. Meanwhile 13% say they have never felt hopeful since they had their stroke – demonstrating how strokes can impact survivors differently.

The Stroke Association helps people to find the hope they need to rebuild their lives through specialist services, including a Helpline, peer support service, support groups and Support Coordinators.

For Professor Ade Adebajo, 63, from Sheffield, realising that despite his stroke, he still felt like himself, was a defining moment of hope where he knew things would get better.

Ade had his stroke in 2015, ironically and in some ways very luckily, while working at Barnsley hospital. Ade began having weakness on his left side while sat in a meeting and seconds later he slumped in his chair and was unable to move.
Fortunately, Ade’s office was directly above the hospital’s A and E and a specialist was able to attend quickly and take Ade for an emergency MRI which confirmed a bleed on the brain.

Ade said: “I began having funny feelings on my left side and that side of my face. I remember seeing the Stroke Association’s FAST advert, so I knew I was having a stroke and I was able to tell the doctor’s this as well – they said I had given them the diagnosis!”

The cause of Ade’s stroke was silent hypertension or high blood pressure and he initially spent three months in hospital. Following this he went on to have a year of rehabilitation treatments including physio and Occupational Therapy and Electrical Stimulation therapy.

Ade said: “It took me 11 months to return to work. It was a very long road. I still have weakness in my left side and now walk with a stick. I have a wheelchair but I’m using that less and less.

“I also went on a three week long intensive therapy programme at University College London doing exercises like practising with cutlery, fastening buttons, and using the treadmill and gym equipment.

“I know I’ve only been able to go back to work because I had a good amount of rehab but others haven’t been so lucky.”

Despite everything that he continues to battle, Ade now says he feels blessed and wants to share his first moments of hope in his recovery to help other stroke survivors.

Ade added: “For me, when I began feeling a bit like my old self inside, I was saying ‘he’s still there, I’m still me,’ despite my weakness I think I’m still there. I think that was my moment of hope where I knew I would improve.

“In a way I feel blessed that I was actually in the right place at the right time when I had my stroke. I love being a doctor and looking after people, so I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to return to it and that my cognitive functions are still there too.”

Big and small moments of hope

The research found that it can be both big and small moments of hope that are important. When asked what gave them their firstmoment of hope after a stroke, 17% said it was being able to use their affected side for the first time and 11% said it was being able to speak again. However, 15% said it was being able to complete a small every day task such as making a cup of tea.

Reevaluating what is important after a stroke

The impact of a stroke leads many to reevaluate what is important in life. Over half (56%) say having a stroke made them appreciate their life more, 43% say it made them appreciate their family more and 41% say it made them appreciate the importance of looking after their health.

Samantha Jones, Associate Director for Yorkshire at 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. As the research makes clear, 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 1.3m people and rising 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 Stroke Association is asking those who can to donate today so that it can reach more stroke survivors and give them the specialist support they need to find hope and move forward with their recovery. Visit stroke.org.uk/hopeafterstroke

ENDS

For more information, contact: Ken Scott, PR Officer at the Stroke Association on 0115 7788429 or email ken.scott@stroke.org.uk

Notes to Editors

Statistics based on a Stroke Association nationally representative survey of 3,572 stroke survivors, conducted in September 2021.

About the Stroke Association