The Stroke Foundation has expanded its StrokeLine phone service this year to ensure people living with stroke are better supporting during their recovery.
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StrokeLine is a free, confidential phone service which is staffed by allied health professionals who provide expert information, advice, support and referrals, particularly when patients transition from hospital to life back home.
The StrokeLine team includes occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and social workers. Between them they have decades of stroke care experience.
The expansion includes more staff which will result in shorter wait times, better access to different allied health disciplines and a continued quality-service tailored to the individual, the Foundation said.
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It's estimated by the Stroke Foundation that more than 208 people will have a stroke for the first time in 2022 in the Mallee electorate, a spokesperson for the Foundation said, meaning the service is more important than ever.
There were more than 3500 survivors of stroke living in the Mallee electorate in 2020, of which 1951 are male and 1549 are female.
The vast majority of people living with stroke are over the age of 70.
Data mapping by the Stroke Foundation projects that this number will rise to over 5000 by 2050.
The Stroke Foundation also maps contributing factors to strokes, such as high-blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity.
According to the Foundation's website, in 2020 there were more than 34,000 people living in the Mallee electorate, while more than 21,300 have high cholesterol.
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More than 88,000 people in the electorate were at risk due to obesity in 2020, according to the Foundation.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan said the expansion of StrokeLine is a positive step towards helping survivors of stroke and their families thrive after stroke.
"Too many people leave hospital without a discharge plan (32 per cent) at a time when support is essential," Ms McGowan said
"Our StrokeLine team understands the physical and emotional changes survivors are experiencing and can help people take charge of their recoveries."
StrokeLine is the inbound support service within Stroke Foundation's StrokeConnect Navigator Program.
The Program also includes an outreach service which contacts people after they leave hospital to ensure they know how to access the specific support they need.
Stroke strikes the brain and can change lives in an instant.
Almost 450,000 people are living with the impact of stroke in Australia.
After stroke, no recovery journey is the same. Effects include physical disability, speech and language loss, personality changes, fatigue, and depression.
StrokeLine operates Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Eastern Standard Time and is available no matter what stage people are at on the recovery journey.
For crisis support, Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week 13 11 14.
If you think someone is having a stroke, call triple zero (000) immediately. The best outcomes are achieved when stroke is treated quickly.
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