Information About Our Charity and How We Can Support You We Are The

We are the Stroke Association

Information about our charity and how we can support you We’re for life after stroke

Need to talk? Call our confidential Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100.

You may also find our other leaflets helpful.

•• What is a stroke? •• How to prevent a stroke •• When a stroke happens •• Life after stroke •• The road to recovery

We also have lots more useful information. To order leaflets and factsheets, or to find out more about stroke, please call 0303 3033 100, email [email protected] or visit us at stroke.org.uk.

We are a charity. We rely on your support to change lives.

Produced by the Stroke Association’s Information Service. To see which references we have used, visit stroke.org.uk.

Please call us on 0115 871 3949 or email [email protected] if you are unhappy with us in any way. We will happily discuss any issues and help sort them out.

The Stroke Association is registered as a charity in England and Wales (No 211015) and in Scotland (SC037789). Also registered in Northern Ireland (XT33805), Isle of Man (No 945) and Jersey (NPO 369).

2 Stroke Association Introduction

We understand that having a stroke can "I’d say to anyone be devastating. You may feel frightened, in my situation that confused and isolated, whether it’s they should not panic happened to you or someone close to you. and take the support offered. Don’t think We’re here to support you with your your life is over if you recovery. Whether you need support in the have a stroke." early days or you face challenges later on, we can help you and your family deal with the Claire, stroke survivor changes caused by a stroke.

Contents

•• Information and support – page 4 •• Our services – page 6 •• Stroke clubs – page 10 •• Life After Stroke Grants – page 11 •• Research – page 12 •• Taking action on stroke – page 13 •• How you can help – page 14

We are the Stroke Association 3 Information and support

"It’s great to be If you have had a stroke, or have been able to provide a affected by stroke in any way, you will have service that really many questions about what has happened makes a difference and what is likely to happen in the future. You to people affected may need practical information or simply by stroke. Our someone to talk to. callers really value the information and Stroke Helpline support we give We will listen to you and answer any them." questions you have. We can help to explain what causes a stroke, how you can prevent Stroke Helpline Manager a stroke happening again, and the different effects a stroke can have. We can give you practical information about how to cope after a stroke, and how to get the help and support you need. Anything we talk about will be in confidence.

We can also tell you about local services and stroke clubs, and help you find other support services in your area.

How to contact us

•• Call our helpline on 0303 3033 100. •• If you use a textphone, please dial 18001 0303 3033 100.

4 Stroke Association •• We use Language Line, which lets you call Did you know we the Stroke Helpline using a free interpreting offer a range of service if English is not your first language. useful products •• Email us at [email protected]. for people who •• Write to us at Stroke Information Service, have had a stroke, Life after Stroke Centre, Church Lane, such as mobility Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 8RA. aids, insurance and personal alarms? Our website Lots of useful information and advice Visit our website about stroke is available on our website at stroke.org.uk/ at stroke.org.uk. support/partners to see the full range, or •• Read and download all our leaflets and call our helpline for factsheets free of charge. more information. •• Join TalkStroke – our online discussion forum for all people affected by stroke. •• Read or listen to other people’s experiences of stroke.

Stroke News We produce a free magazine called Stroke News every four months, containing useful information about stroke and our work. To subscribe, fill in the form at the end of this leaflet or [email protected] .

We are the Stroke Association 5 Our services

We understand Our Life After Stroke Services how a stroke can Our services are here to help you achieve change your world your goals after a stroke and support you overnight. We're along the way. here to help you cope with the aftermath Information, Advice and Support Service of stroke. Your first contact with us will probably be with one of our information, advice and support co-ordinators (sometimes called family and carer support co-ordinators). They regularly visit hospital wards, or you may be referred to one by hospital staff.

This service helps you and your family prepare for the changes that happen because of a stroke. They provide you with information about stroke, practical advice and emotional support.

6 Stroke Association How we can help "Being a carer can Our information, advice and support be incredibly hard. co-ordinators might visit you in hospital and Talking to other make home visits afterwards. They look at people in a similar your needs and those of your family, and may: situation helps enormously." •• help you understand the effects of your stroke Christine, carer •• tell you how you can get help from health services, social services and voluntary organisations •• put you in touch with local groups and services, stroke clubs or carers' groups •• help you get financial support, and •• arrange for our trained volunteers to make further visits.

They can also refer you to our other services.

Communication Support Service About a third of people who have had a stroke have some difficulty with speaking, reading or writing. This is called aphasia. If you can’t express your needs, wishes and feelings properly, this can affect your morale, slow down your rehabilitation and be frustrating for you and those close to you.

We are the Stroke Association 7 Our services

"I couldn’t move my Our Communication Support Service can help right side, and my you cope with aphasia. Our co-ordinators and speech had gone. I volunteers can work with you to build up your could read perfectly confidence and help you achieve your best but I couldn’t say possible recovery. even a simple word like ‘coffee’." You might be referred to the service by a speech and language therapist, your doctor, David, stroke survivor or you can also refer yourself.

Our co-ordinator will visit you and your family to assess your needs, find out about your goals and agree with you what you need to do to achieve them.

Our service can help you rebuild your communication skills through practising your speaking, reading and writing skills – depending on your goals. This may be through workshops with other people who have had a stroke or regular home visits.

8 Stroke Association Other services are available in some areas. If we don’t have a service in your area, •• Stroke Prevention can support you to contact our helpline. change your way of life and reduce your We can tell you risk of having a stroke, by offering help and about other sources advice on things such as diet and exercise. of help near you.

•• Re-ablement and Social Inclusion can help you to adjust to life after your stroke by offering a range of services from art therapy to support for younger people, or by helping you return to work.

•• Carer Support provides information, advice, group support and training for carers.

How do I contact your services? You may be referred to our services by hospital staff, your GP or a social worker. If not, you can contact us directly to see if we offer services in your area by phoning 0303 3033 100.

Our services are free for people who have had a stroke and their families as they are paid for by local health or social services. Unfortunately, not all authorities pay for our services, so they are only available in certain areas of England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

We are the Stroke Association 9 Stroke clubs

Stroke clubs and Stroke clubs provide an opportunity for groups provide people who are affected by stroke to get valuable practical together. Many clubs are open to people who and social support. have had strokes and their carers, while others They can build your support people with specific needs such as confidence and help communication difficulties. you to recover. By getting together, members have the To find out if there is chance to share experiences with people who a stroke club understand what they are going through, and near you: to take part in activities that can help with their ongoing recovery. Most of all, clubs offer • call our helpline vital social support and boost your confidence on 0303 3033 100 to help you get on with life after your stroke. • look for notices in your local Clubs are usually run by volunteers and regular doctor’s surgery meetings are held in community centres and or library, or halls. Each club is different, but most offer • ask your GP, activities. These can include everything from social worker or speakers, outings and art classes through to health visitor. practising communication skills and exercise sessions.

10 Stroke Association Life After Stroke Grants

Financial help can make a crucial difference at "I am really grateful times of great difficulty and uncertainty. Our to the Stroke Life After Stroke Grants aim to improve your Association for quality of life if you have had a stroke. paying for my driving course. It has given The grant is a one-off payment, usually up me so much freedom to £200. The grant is means-tested, which and I don’t have to means it takes account of your household’s rely on my children total income and savings. The money can be to get around." used where it is most needed, for example to help towards: Ex-lorry driver Graham learned to drive a specially adapted vehicle to get his •• essential household items like a cooker or licence back after his stroke. fridge freezer •• furniture like a comfortable chair or bed •• driving lessons or a driving assessment, or •• a holiday in the UK.

To apply for a grant, you need to be referred to us by one of our information, advice and support co-ordinators. Call our Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100 to see if there is one in your area.

If we don’t have a service near you, ask your social worker or any healthcare professional to contact us and we will send them the application pack.

We are the Stroke Association 11 Research

“The research One of our most important roles is to fund funded by the and promote research into stroke prevention, Stroke Association treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care. has improved stroke rehabilitation It is essential to develop new treatments and immeasurably therapies to make sure people who have a and patient care stroke can make the best possible recovery. has improved as a result.” Research can prevent strokes and save lives. It helps us to understand what causes stroke Professor Marion Walker, so we can develop better ways to help people University of Nottingham reduce their risk of having a stroke.

Research also provides essential evidence to convince health service providers to improve the services they offer to people who have had a stroke.

As well as our own programme of research, we encourage the Government and other funders to increase their spending on stroke research.

We also provide funding for stroke therapists and nurses to follow a career in stroke research. This helps to bring the best available treatments into clinics and hospitals.

12 Stroke Association Taking action on stroke

Stroke is a very serious health issue which "Raising awareness more people need to be aware of. It is also of the risk factors important that there are better services for for stroke is vital in people who have been affected by a stroke, order to reduce the and that help is offered to those who need it. number of strokes in the UK." We campaign to raise awareness of stroke, to make sure people get the best possible Joe Korner, Director of Communications treatment and all the support they need. Stroke Association We also work with other charities to influence how laws are made to help improve the lives of people who have had a stroke. Recently, we have been working as part of the Hardest Hit coalition to stop further cuts to disability benefits.

We also take action in supporting local campaigns. This might be defending a local stroke service from closure or training local campaigners on how to lobby their MP.

For more information or to become part of our stroke community, join us today at stroke.org.uk/campaigns.

We are the Stroke Association 13 How you can help

You can help us by: We rely on the support of individuals and companies, whether through donations, • making a your time or your involvement. donation • becoming a Make a difference today with a donation. supporter of the Stroke •• £10 could bring comfort to people Association, or desperately worried about stroke. • volunteering. •• £50 could help fund research into new treatments and ways of preventing stroke.

Please see the end of this leaflet or visit our website for details of how you can donate.

Set up a Direct Debit We rely on regular support. Direct Debits give us the confidence to plan our work and help to cut costs. To find out how you can give regularly to the Stroke Association by Direct Debit, visit our website or phone 0300 3300 740.

14 Stroke Association Become a supporter

There are a number of ways you can support us.

•• Volunteer with our Life After Stroke Services. •• Share your experience of stroke to help others. •• Join our reader panel to help us improve our publications. •• Join our Campaigners' Network at stroke.org.uk/campaigns •• Join our Facebook group at www. facebook.com/TheStrokeAssociation •• Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ TheStrokeAssoc.

Get involved in fundraising We always need volunteers to help with events.

Remember us in your will Gifts left to us in our supporters’ wills mean that we can continue to help people affected by stroke.

To find out more about any of the above, visit our website or phone 020 7566 0300.

We are the Stroke Association 15 Please put your filled-in form inside an envelope and return it to the following address.

FREEPOST RRZA-KCEU-UKSB Stroke Association 1 Sterling Business Park Salthouse Road Northampton NN4 7EX

For more information about making a donation or regular gift, please contact the appeals team on 0300 3300 740, email [email protected] or visit stroke.org.uk. Making a donation

Name: Amount you would like to donate: Address:  £50  £25  £10  Other (Please fill in the amount above.)

Increasing the value of your gift Postcode: at no extra cost to you: Please tick the box and write the date below so we can claim Phone: the tax you have already paid on your donation. This is so we can receive an extra 25p for every £1 Please send a cheque, made payable to you donate. A gift of £10 would give us an extra £2.50. ‘Stroke Association’, or fill in your card details below. Thank you for your support.  I am a UK taxpayer and would like the Stroke Association to treat all donations I have made in Please debit my credit card/debit card. the last four years, and all future Type of card: donations, as Gift Aid donations. I understand that I must have paid  MasterCard  Visa income tax or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that all  Maestro  Charity card charities reclaim on my donations in any given year. I understand that taxes such as VAT and Card number: council tax do not qualify.                    Date: / /

Security code:*    (* This is the last three numbers We would like to keep you up to date about the work on the signature strip on the back of your card.) we do. If you would prefer us not to contact you, please tick this box.  Name: (as it appears on the card) If you would like to receive information about our work by email, please write your Start date:   /   Expiry date:   /   email address below

Signature: If you would like to receive free copies of our Stroke News magazine, tick this Date:   /  /     box. 

Stroke Association is a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales (No 61274). Registered office: Stroke Association House, 240 City Road, London EC1V 2PR. Registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No 211015) and in Scotland (SC037789). Also registered in Northern Ireland (XT33805) Isle of Man (No 945) and Jersey (NPO 369). Stroke Association (L1) Leaflet

We are the Stroke Association

We believe in life after stroke. That’s why we support stroke survivors to make the best recovery they can. It’s why we campaign for better stroke care. And it’s why we fund research into finding new treatments and ways of preventing stroke.

We’re here for you. If you’d like to know more please get in touch.

Stroke Helpline: 0303 3033 100 Website: stroke.org.uk Email: [email protected] Textphone: 18001 0303 3033 100