When a person is having difficulty articulating their words, what should you do?

When a person is having difficulty articulating their words, which can indicate a medical emergency such as a stroke, it is crucial to prioritize their safety and ensure immediate help is on the way. Activating emergency medical services (EMS) and/or your emergency action plan (EAP) is the appropriate step because it allows professional help to assess and treat the individual properly.

Staying with the person until EMS arrives provides psychological support and enables you to monitor their condition closely. Timely intervention can be vital, especially in situations like strokes where every minute counts. This option emphasizes the importance of calling for help while ensuring that you can provide updates to the responders based on the person's condition.

The other choices suggest actions that do not directly address the immediate need for professional medical assistance. Powering on an AED or applying pads is specific to cardiac arrest situations, and placing someone in the recovery position is generally appropriate for unconscious individuals who are breathing. Turning on emergency oxygen assumes the need for supplemental oxygen, which may not be necessary at this point. Therefore, the focus should be on ensuring that specialized help is called for as soon as possible.