May is National Stroke Awareness month, shedding light on staggering statistics:

• Stroke strikes approximately 795,000 people in the United States annually.
• Many of the survivors live with long-term disabilities.
• Approximately 185,000 survivors will experience another stroke.
• Stroke kills someone every four minutes, making it the third leading cause of death among men and women in this country.

Stroke prevention, risk factors, and signs and symptoms will be the focus of a Heart/Brain Connection lecture by Denise Kistler, RN, CNRN, hosted by Grand View Hospital on June 11 at Peter Becker Community’s Maple Estates in Harleysville. Kistler is coordinator of Grand View Hospital’s stroke program, recognized by The Joint Commission with a Gold Seal of ApprovalTM for Primary Stroke Centers and awarded a Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Plus Performance Achievement Award by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Kistler along with several Grand View staff and physicians will present a variety of health and safety topics at a special conference, Supporting Your Aging Parent to Stay Healthy and Independent: An Event for Adult Children and the Parents They Love. Tours of Peter Becker’s Maple Estates are available following the program. Everyone is invited to attend the keynote lecture on Successful Aging presented by internal medicine physician Jeffrey Thatcher, MD, Tri-Valley Primary Care. He will discuss what is a normal part of aging and what may be a sign that something is wrong and needs medical attention. Other program sessions include:

• Planning for the Future, presented by licensed clinical social worker Barbara Kimball. Learn how to begin a conversation about medical, legal, and emotional issues related to aging. Know when an independent senior may need support and assistance.
• Diabetic Medication Management, presented by Grand View certified diabetes educator Carol Knauff, RN. Confused by the array of diabetes medications on the market? Concerned about the possibility of lowering blood sugar too far? Come with questions and leave with an understanding of diabetic medications and their proper use.
• Vestibular (Balance) Therapy, presented by Miriam Kozak of Grand View Hospital physical medicine and rehabilitation. Learn about the complex inner-ear system that controls balance and how vestibular therapy can help manage dizziness and vertigo.
• Wound Care, presented by Grand View Wound Care Center Director, Dawn Wilkes, MD. Find out how to prevent and treat problem wounds and the conditions that cause them.
• Safety and Fall Prevention, presented by Grand View physical therapist Sarah Baker of Home Care. Although falls are the leading cause of death due to injury for those age 65 and older, most are preventable. Learn how to eliminate common home safety hazards and install safety and mobility aids.
• Living Arrangement Options, presented by Peter Becker Community President/CEO Carol Berster. Learn about living options and the various levels of care to consider when living alone in one’s home is no longer practical.
• Advance Directives, presented by Grand View Risk Manager Nancy Runta, MSN, RN. Do you know what kind of care your parents would want if unable to speak for themselves? Learn about planning ahead with advance directives, which outline one’s wishes for medical care in writing known as a living will.
• Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia, presented by neurologist Xin Wang, MD, Penn Neurologic Associates. Memory loss is not a normal sign of aging. Discover the difference between simple forgetfulness and memory issues indicating a possible underlying health condition requiring medical attention. Learn about available resources to evaluate and treat memory loss.

The cost of the program is $15 each or $25 for two. Continental breakfast is included. Doors open at 8:30 am. Registration is required. To register or for more information, call the Grand View Information Line at 215-453-4300 or register online at www.gvh.org.

Grand View Hospital is named among the best hospitals in the Philadelphia Metro area by U.S. News & World Report and is recognized as “High Performing” in geriatrics and orthopaedics. Grand View is also the only hospital in Bucks and Montgomery Counties to receive a five-star quality rating in total joint replacement from HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading healthcare ratings company. The American Stroke Association awarded Grand View Hospital its Get with the GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award.

Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive health care services since 1913. Grand View offers a range of inpatient and outpatient care – particularly emphasizing the areas of surgery and orthopaedics, women’s and children's health, heart and vascular care, and cancer treatment. For more information about Grand View Hospital services and programs please call the Grand View Information Line at 215-453-4300 or visit www.gvh.org.