Good Shepherd Rehabilitation to Host Free Stroke-Risk Screening Event on May 3

To help Lehigh Valley community members understand their own potential risks of stroke, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is hosting a free stroke-risk screening event on May 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The annual event will take place at Good Shepherd’s Hyland Center for Health & Technology, 850 S. 5^th Street, Allentown, PA 18103. It is open to anyone age 18 and older. Registration is required.

More than 795,000 people in America have a stroke each year, according to the CDC, and stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and reduction in mobility for stroke survivors age 65 and older.

“Screenings are vital because they help identify common stroke risk factors,” said Sarah Rice, MS, OTR/L, CSRS, an inpatient rehabilitation occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown and Good Shepherd’s stroke program co-chair. “It’s good for people to know about cholesterol, high blood pressure or blood sugar, and how to modify life habits.”

At the free event, Good Shepherd will offer a variety of stations, including:

• Cholesterol and blood sugar screening (fast for 1 hour prior to attending the event)

• Fall-risk assessments and education on how to decrease your risk of falling
• Heart rate and blood pressure screening
• Height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist-circumference assessment
• Nutrition education and healthy snacks

Additionally, Blendlife Food Truck, which serves healthy food, will be on-site.

Attendees must pre-register by emailing sdevine@gsrh.org or calling 610-778-9208.

“When you know your stroke risks sooner, the quicker you can talk to your doctor and work to reduce those risks,” says Rachel Burke, MS, OTR/L, CSRS, an inpatient rehabilitation occupational therapist and Good Shepherd’s stroke program co-chair.

Rice and Burke planned and organized this year’s screening event.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for its Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Specialty Program; CARF is the gold standard in rehabilitation. Additionally, Good Shepherd provides outpatient stroke rehabilitation services — including physician services, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy — at more than 20 locations throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

Free parking is available in Good Shepherd’s South 5^th Street parking garage. View a South Allentown campus map.

For more information on stroke, visit https://www.goodshepherdrehab.org/condition/stroke-rehabilitation/ or call 1-888-44-REHAB (73422).

Media Contact: Mike Walbert, Marketing & Communications Manager (mwalbert@gsrh.org; 610-776-3329)

About Good Shepherd Rehabilitation
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, an independent, not-for-profit rehabilitation network with more than 60 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is committed to transforming the lives of people of all ages and abilities through curiosity, creativity, expertise and innovation. Headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Good Shepherd specializes in treatment of spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, major multi-trauma, pulmonary disease, respiratory failure, musculoskeletal/orthopedics and complex pediatric conditions. Good Shepherd also partners with Penn Medicine to provide rehabilitation and specialty services in the greater Philadelphia area and New Jersey through Good Shepherd Penn Partners.