Lacunar strokes are often called the “silent thieves” of independence in people over 60. Unlike a classic stroke, they don’t cause dramatic collapses or obvious slurred speech. Instead, they develop discreetly, slowly compromising mobility, memory, and autonomy—gradually stealing the quality of life you’ve built up over the years.
These small strokes account for about 25–30% of all cases. Even more worrying: many are silent and are already present in up to 30% of apparently healthy adults over 60 years of age. With advancing age, this number increases significantly.