Young Stroke Program ElIgibility This name, “Young Stroke,” can be deceiving since qualification for the program depends mostly on the patient’s baseline before the stroke, rather than age. A stroke patient of any age may be considered a candidate for Gaylord’s Young Stroke program if that person was significantly and actively employed, or a student or primary caregiver at the time of the stroke. The complexity of the patient’s stroke is also taken into consideration in determining eligibility for the program. Patients who participated in Gaylord’s Young Stroke program last year spanned from age 17 to 81 years, with an average age of 55 years. The patient population that fits the Young Stroke criteria generally has fewer co-morbidities and a more active baseline than those in Gaylord’s general stroke population. The program’s more aggressive and highly activity-specific therapies take advantage of the greater energy and resilience of these patients.