VIVID: Independent Living of Aging Adults Suffered a Stroke

Based on the recent statistics published by the Stroke Association (UK), first-time incidence of stroke occurs almost 17 million times a year worldwide (one every two seconds), making Stroke as the second cause of death in the world. By the age of 75, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 6 men will have a stroke, which is one of the largest causes of disability, as half of all stroke survivors have a disability, making those persons dependent on others (1 in 5 are cared for by family and/or friends). People living longer is a cause for celebration, but older people are more vulnerable to mental health, cognition and physical problems, especially if they have already experienced a stroke (minor or mild). Depression is a main condition after a stroke and may be experienced in the form of sadness, unexplained pains, loss of interest in socializing, weight loss etc. The abovementioned conditions reduce the person's ability to remain active and independent, affecting their well-being and quality of living. Independent living of aging adults that have suffered a stroke is the key motivation for the VIVID project.