February is American Heart Month
February is the official American Heart Month, putting a spotlight on steps we all need to take to avoid a stroke or heart attack. Every day, more than 2,200 Americans die of heart disease – that’s one death every 39 seconds – and strokes are responsible for one death every 4 minutes.
Friday, February 5th is Go Red for Women Initiative, intended to raise awareness and support for the fight against the number one killer of women – heart disease. Some things to know about women’s heart disease:
- Heart disease is the cause of one in every three deaths for women.
- Heart disease affects women of all ages, not just older women.
- 64% of women who die suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms.
- It’s not always chest pain – women often have different heart attack symptoms than men – shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, lightheadedness, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen and extreme fatigue.
- Women of color are disproportionately affected by heart disease.
- Women who have heart disease are 29% more likely to experience declines in their thinking and memory skills while those who’ve had a heart attack are twice as likely.
- Lifestyle can make a difference, even if heart disease runs in your family.
Wear red on Friday to show your support! Get the facts and more information from the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women website: https://www.goredforwomen.org/en.
You may wonder what this has to do with Estate Planning and Elder Law? It’s one more good reason to stop procrastinating: make those lifestyle changes and plan to make it easier for your family if something happens to you! You need to have your plan in place if you become incapacitated from a stroke; you can’t plan after the fact. The planning you do now can make all the difference to your family when you’re gone.
Be informed – attend a free, educational seminar about getting your ducks in a row!
