“2026 Seniors’ Joy Program (Phase 2)” — Seventh Activity Brief

y Jennifer Zhang

On Saturday, May 16, as summer gradually approached and the weather remained cool and pleasant, seniors arrived at the activity center in high spirits to participate in the seventh “Happy Seniors” program.

This week, we were honored to invite Dr. Qingyan Zhu, an experienced neurologist, to deliver a special health lecture titled “Stroke Symptoms and Prevention.” Stroke is one of the most common and serious diseases affecting older adults. Each year in the United States, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke, including about 200,000 recurrent cases, and approximately 160,000 people die from stroke-related causes. Therefore, understanding the symptoms of stroke and ways to prevent it is extremely important. Drawing upon her extensive clinical experience, Dr. Zhu provided a clear and professional presentation on this important topic.

At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Zhu introduced the basic concept of stroke, its major types, and their characteristics. She also explained in detail how strokes affect different areas of the brain and how these injuries impact bodily functions. She emphasized that strokes usually occur suddenly and often without warning signs, and that they commonly affect either the left or right side of the body. Dr. Zhu then systematically reviewed the seven most common symptoms of stroke and explained the proper actions family members should take when dealing with patients who are conscious versus those who are unconscious. She repeatedly reminded everyone that once clear stroke symptoms are identified, the very first thing family members should do is call 911 immediately and never miss the critical golden window for emergency treatment.

Finally, Dr. Zhu stressed the importance of stroke prevention. She pointed out that whether or not a person has previously suffered a stroke, prevention is always essential. She introduced various preventive measures, including maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, exercising regularly, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, managing body weight, quitting smoking, and properly using common preventive medications. Throughout the lecture, Dr. Zhu not only helped seniors better understand the dangers and risk factors of stroke, but also continuously encouraged them to do their best in daily life to manage these risks and reduce the likelihood of stroke.

The lecture concluded with warm applause from the audience. Afterwards, Dr. Zhu patiently answered many questions from participants and provided detailed one-on-one consultations for several seniors. She stayed until 4:00 PM before leaving.

Following the lecture, adult volunteers and CYOC youth volunteers prepared blueberries, oranges, cherry tomatoes, and three different kinds of snacks for the seniors. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon refreshments while relaxing and chatting together.

Next, CACHS senior volunteer Xiangyang Wei gave a hands-on demonstration showing seniors how to cast their smartphones onto a television screen, allowing them to watch short videos and TV dramas from their phones on a larger display. He also continued guiding everyone on how to use Google and ChatGPT to search for urgently needed information, such as medications and nearby hospitals. In addition, he introduced ChatGPT as a “highly intelligent robot friend” that seniors could turn to for different kinds of assistance in daily life.

Afterward, volunteers distributed delicious fresh blackberries generously provided by our community partner, So What Else. The seniors were delighted to receive the free fresh fruit.