SALINAS, CA –The Sam Karas Acute Rehabilitation Center Stroke Support Group will host a guest speaker at their monthly support group meetings throughout 2017. The Sam Karas Acute Rehabilitation Center is designed to assist patients and their families with the transition from an acute hospital setting to home. Patients receive daily physician and therapy visits to ensure medical stability and optimal functional recovery. The Center helps patients reach a high level of functional independence to return home safely and with confidence.

The Stroke Support Meeting Schedule Upcoming dates include:

• Feb 22: Post Stroke Swallow and Language Problems
  Presented by – Megan Tillman, Natividad Speech/Language Pathologist
• March 22: Amelia Hunt, Family Member of a Stroke Survivor
• April 26: Sharing Our Successes
  Presented by – Michelle Toderick, Acute Rehabilitation Center Program Director
• May 24: Dick Burns, Stroke Survivor and Author
• June 28: Signs and Signals of A Stroke, How to Keep Our Bodies Healthy After a Stroke
  Presented by – Shalene Cruz, Natividad RN
• July 26: Tammy Stickler, Community Social Worker
• Aug 23: Anthony Galicia, MD, Natividad Physiatrist and Acute Rehabilitation Center Medical Director
• Sept 27: Tamara McKee, Manager of Medicare Program / Open Enrollment
• Oct 25: Residual Effects of Strokes and Treatment Options
  Presented by – Sudha Shudha, Natividad PT
• Nov 22: Community Support and Programs
  Presented by – Jo Ellen Clark, Natividad LCSW
• Dec 20: Stroke Support Group Reunion

• 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Sam Karas Rehabilitation Center (Main Dining Room) located at 1441 Constitution Drive, Building 100 in Salinas

The support group is for stroke survivors, their caregivers, family and friends. The group meets monthly to offer education, interaction and support for others going through a similar experience. The goal of the support group is to talk about things that matter to each attendee as well as to share positive coping skills. For more details go to: http://nmcacuterehab.com/

Background on Natividad Medical Center (NMC)
Owned and operated by Monterey County, NMC is a 172-bed, acute-care hospital providing health care services to county residents for more than 132 years. Based in Salinas, California, NMC offers inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care. NMC provides more than 34,000 patient days of care each year and has more than 52,000 emergency department visits per year. NMC is a Level II Trauma Center providing the immediate availability of specialized personnel, equipment and services to treat the most severe and critical injuries. NMC’s Trauma Center is a vital community service locally that saves lives and eliminates the need to fly critically injured patients to a distant trauma center. NMC is ranked No. 1 in newborn deliveries in Monterey County and is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast through its affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). With a medical staff of more than 300 physicians, NMC’s mission is to continually monitor and improve the health of the people, including the vulnerable, in Monterey County through coordinated, affordable high-quality health care. For more information, please call 831-755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.