Recovering from stroke harder for women, report shows. Why?
Global News
Outcomes for women who survive a stroke are worse, including the toll on their mental health, the Heart and Stroke Foundation said in its report.
Diane Baronette’s stroke symptoms in 2021 were initially misdiagnosed at a local emergency room, which resulted in serious mobility issues she’s dealing with to this day.
“My whole arm is numb but my fingers and my feet are the worst,” Baronette said of her ongoing symptoms, which forced her to leave a management job she loved.
Navigating health care and dealing with expectations has been tough as she tries to cope with how her life has changed, similar to the experiences of other women who take on the majority of caregiving responsibilities — an issue highlighted in a report released Thursday by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
She had to wait nearly two months to get rehabilitation in the community near Cache Bay, Ont., to help her walk and get the strength back in her arm and leg before she could transition to exercises at home for the stiffness in her foot and hand.
“It was difficult,” said Baronette, who’d been the sole caregiver for her husband due to his lung disease, heart issues and inability to work.
“The tables kind of turned and he had to take care of me,” said Baronette, who suffered through depression after losing her independence and the ability to befully active with her two young grandchildren. She also lamented not having the strength to help out, “as a mother,” at her two children’s upcoming weddings.
It was also tough for Baronette to accept she had a stroke at age 52, something she believed would happen to an older person. Now, she wants other women to know they should get help for their symptoms as soon as possible, ditch the guilt of no longer being able to do so much for their families and “put yourself first.”
Women already have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders than men, putting them at greater risk of developing depression, the Heart and Stroke Foundation said in its report.