Group

Via Christi Stroke Center Earns Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

2012-01-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

Via Christi’s Stroke Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award — the organization’s highest award for stroke care.

"This award is a wonderful recognition of the work of our outstanding team of employees who are dedicated to doing their best to care for stroke patients by ensuring that evidence-based care processes are consistently delivered," said Sherry Hausmann, president of Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis.
To receive the award, Via Christi met each of the program’s stroke measures at 85 percent or higher for 24 consecutive months and ranked 75 percent or higher for additional quality measures, such as admit National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; aggressive use of medications such as tPA,...Next

After traumatic injury, recovery starts with the B.R.A.I.N.

2012-01-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

By Ashley Curtin

Posted: 01/04/2012 03:49:01 PM PST

Updated: 01/06/2012 06:11:45 AM PST

B.R.A.I.N. Cells pairs brain injury survivors with community volunteers amd focuses on creating a bond between the partners, which in turn helps the survivors' recovery and healing process.

Stacey Kuroiwa suffered a stroke when she was 35 and has found help in her recovery from the B.R.A.I.N. community.

At age 46, Peggy Toole of Long Beach had to learn how to walk and talk all over again. In 2007, after experiencing sudden cardiac death - a loss of heart function - and being resuscitated back to life, she remained comatose for three weeks. A prolonged loss of oxygen resulted in a traumatic brain injury that left her with ataxia and apraxia disorder - limited coordination of muscle movements, with an inability to execute learned movements. She also was left legally blind.
As a hospice registered nurse, Stacey Kuroiwa, also of Long Beach, enjoyed helping people. But in 2006, at age 35, she unexpectedly needed help of her own.
Kuroiwa suffered a stroke to the left side of her brain causing paralysis in her right arm..........Next

Happy Anniversary… to my Stroke?! By Catherine Lewallen

2012-01-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

Murphys, CA...I am writing this on January 8th, 2012, the one-year anniversary of my stroke. What a terrifying day that was! I was alone. I was at my business, though it wasn’t open, getting some work done. Going up a stepladder I got really light-headed, as if I stood up too fast. As I tried to get down the ladder, I realized I was not in control of my legs and was going to fall. I laid there on my side, struggling to get my phone out of my pocket, with the one arm that was working. It took several tries to successfully dial for help, only to be unintelligible in my pleas.... Next

NEWSMAN, STRANDED BY STROKE, FINALLY GOING HOME

2012-01-12T18:48:00.001-08:00

January 10, 2012
WASHINGTON D.C. After more than 2 years, veteran newsman Diosdado Beltran will finally get the chance to go home to the Philippines.
Beltran, 67 and former news editor of the Philippine News Agency (PNA), was visiting family members in Fairfax, Virginia in 2009 when he suffered a stroke.
He survived but doctors at the Commonwealth Health and Rehab Center refused to allow him to fly back to Manila as he wanted. The trip, they warned, could be fatal.
He now reportedly speaks with a slur and has trouble sitting up, forcing him to spend the day mostly lying on the bed.
Beltran was an officer of the Samahang Plaridel, an association of veteran journalists and communicators named in honor of the pseudonym famously used by Filipino patriot Marcelo H. del Pilar who helped publish the La Solidaridad.
His doctors would only give Beltran the green light to fly back to the Philippines if a certified nurse would accompany him on the trip...Next

Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music

2011-12-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music

December 16, 2011

More and more hospitals and clinics now offer music therapy as a supplementary treatment for everything from anxiety to Alzheimer's, but its efficacy varies for different conditions. Neurologist Oliver Sacks and several music therapists discuss the science and practice of music therapy.....
Next

Survey to find out about the daily life of stroke victims

2011-09-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

STROKE survivors in Wales will be asked detailed questions about their daily life as part of the first survey of its kind.
The Stroke Association has developed the survey in a bid to find out what life is like for people who have had a stroke across Britain.
It is the biggest survey of its kind and will also ask detailed questions about what services stroke survivors are able to access and about their finances.

The Daily Life survey will be officially launched on Wednesday and will run until December 1. The Stroke Association is urging everyone affected by stroke in Wales to take part.
Ana Palazon, director for the Stroke Association in Wales said: “More people are surviving their stroke, this means that more of us are living with the effects of stroke in our daily lives. The Daily Life Survey will be an important tool in helping the Stroke Association to better understand the challenges stroke survivors face.”

Stroke centers no worse at weekend treatment

2011-09-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

(Reuters Health) - Hospitals that have been designated as "stroke centers" may provide just as good care on the weekend as on weekdays, new findings suggest.
That's important because previous studies have hinted that people who come to the hospital after having a stroke don't do as well if they're admitted over the weekend, when nurses and specialists might be stretched extra thin.
"This is a big concern among the physician community because we all know that not every hospital has the capacity to treat those patients on the weekend," said Dr. Ying Xian, who studies stroke care at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina and wasn't involved in the new study......

http://reut.rs/o91hYa

Season of Hope

2011-09-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Season of Hope

By BOB TEES

Posted 1 month ago

The seasons are changing. This week we feel it in bright days and cool nights, plus a few spectacularly stormy moments. The sadness of seeing summer slip away is balanced by the welcome relief of a return to routine that September soon will bring.

This time last year, as the seasons changed, I was preparing a presentation for Aphasia Camp at the Tim Horton's Onandaga Camp. Aphasia is partial or total loss of the ability to speak due to a brain injury, usually stroke. At the Camp, people with aphasia and their significant others spent the weekend fishing, cycling, learning, enjoying campfires, and generally relaxing in all manner of ways. The theme for the presentation was A Season of Hope, and this song was written for the Camp.
SEASON OF HOPE
There is a season to fall in love a s....... http://bit.ly/nglPLq

Fresh attack on stroke unit plan

2011-09-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

AFTER handing over a petition against the closure of a North-East stroke unit to NHS officials, critics of the plans launched a fresh broadside.
The 780-name petition from Darlington Stroke Club opposing the proposed closure of Darlington Memorial Hospital stroke unit, was handed in to officials from NHS County Durham and Darlington yesterday.
Earlier in the day, a copy of the petition was also presented to the leader of Darlington Borough Council, Councillor Bill Dixon.
The petition was launched in response to NHS County Durham and Darlington’s proposals to back plans to centralise stroke services at the University Hospital of North Durham and close the stroke unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital.
Because of medical staffing problems, the 24-hour acute stroke service for County Durham and Darlington currently alternates between the two hospitals.
NHS County Durham and Darlington has been running a public consultation exercise on the future of acute stroke services which ends tomorrow.
The PCT’s preferred option is to centralise acute stroke services on the Durham City hospital site on the grounds that it offers better all round facilities.
Coun Dixon said he thought the petition, put together in just three weeks, was “a magnificent response”
to the proposals.
The council leader claimed some of the statistics used by the primary care trust to justify centralising at Durham City were flawed and “shoddy” and Darlington would make a better location because of the greater density of population.
He said if Darlington was not chosen as the preferred site, he would want the consultation process repeated.
Darlington MP Jenny Chapman said some of her constituents wondered whether Durham City was being favoured because consultants preferred to live in that area rather than in Darlington.
“The NHS should be run for the benefit of patients not for the convenience of consultants,” she added.
Gillian Peel, chief executive officer of Age UK Darlington, which hosts the Darlington Stroke Club, said: “I believe the consultation process is deeply flawed and very skewed in favour of Durham.”
Stroke survivor Sheila Adams, 76, from Darlington, who signed the petition, said: “I think it is a foregone conclusion – but it shouldn’t be.”
In accepting the petitition, PCT director David Gallagher said he was grateful for people taking the time to express their views.
“The consultation is about getting the views of as many people as possible. We take every view very seriously,” he added.
He stressed that where staff lived was not an issue.
A decision is expected to be taken at a PCT board meeting later in the autumn.

Comments(2)

Jolly Roger says...
5:26pm Sat 10 Sep 11

But why oh why cannot Darlington accept there are at the southern end of Durham and there are places further North than Durham where patients must travel to Darlington if the stroke unit goes there.

So in my opinion the Trust has got it right and Durham is more central for this unit.

So will those in charge listen to us as well, they should do.

CAMPAIGNERS: Darlington Borough Council leader Bill Dixon, right, receives a copy of the petition

Neurology and Neuroscience Our Stroke Centers

2011-04-17T18:55:00.001-07:00

About Our Stroke Centers

NewYork-Presbyterian's three comprehensive Stroke Centers are among the few New York State-designated primary stroke care locations in New York City.

Our full-service Stroke Centers offer advanced resources to minimize the immediate and secondary brain damage from a stroke and maximize the patient's chance for full recovery. Stroke specialists at our neuro-intensive care units provide round-the-clock surveillance, state-of-the-art brain monitoring, and specialized medical and surgical treatments. Having advanced resources such as these are critical, especially in the first 48 hours more read...

New source of support for stroke survivors in Ellesmere Port

2011-04-17T13:26:00.001-07:00

New source of support for stroke survivors in Ellesmere Port

Apr 13 2011 Ellesmere Port Pioneer

PEOPLE affected by stroke in Chester and West Cheshire now have access to new stroke-specific support, which aims to provide mutual help and peer support in a relaxed and social environment.
Three new groups will be run, in Ellesmere Port, Chester and Vale Royal, and are intended not only for stroke survivors but also carers and family.
Andrea Davies, long-term support co-ordinator for The Stroke Association, said: ‘We know from listening to stroke survivors that having a support network is so important in promoting rehabilitation. We’re pleased to be offering this essential service, which gives people living with the effects of stroke the opportunity to meet others with similar experiences.
‘Stroke survivors often find their world is turned upside down by stroke, and may need support in rebuilding their lives. Some may be aiming to get back to work, while others may wish to find new activities in which to become involved. This group will fill a gap and allow them to meet with others who can relate to the challenges of rebuilding their life after a stroke.”

Volunteers are also needed to help develop the service, as well as set up and run the group, which ultimately will be member led and managed. Compassion, humour and listening skills are essential to the role. more ready...

Lower Stroke Death Risk in Close-Knit Neighborhoods

2011-04-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Lower Stroke Death Risk in Close-Knit Neighborhoods

Study Suggests Health Benefits for People Who Have Supportive Neighbors

By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

April 14, 2011 -- Seniors who live in supportive neighborhoods in which they have frequent opportunities to interact with friends and neighbors may have a reduced risk of dying from a stroke compared to those who live in less sociable neighborhoods, new research suggests.
“Social isolation is unhealthy on many levels, and there is a lot of literature showing that increased social support improves not just stroke, but many other health outcomes in seniors,” study researcher Cari Jo Clark, ScD, of the University of Minnesota, says in a news release.
“What is unique about our research is that we have taken this to the neighborhood level instead of just looking at the individual.”

A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke

Measuring Neighborhood Cohesiveness

The researchers at the University of Minnesota and Rush University in Chicago studied 5,789 seniors living in three adjacent neighborhoods in Chicago. Of those in the study, 62% were African-American and 60% women. The average age was 75.
The research team interviewed the participants about their neighborhoods and interactions with neighbors. After 11 years, 701 people had suffered a stroke for the first time and 186 people had died from a stroke.
The researchers set out to measure what they called neighborhood “cohesiveness” by asking such questions as how often the people saw neighbors and friends talking -- outside in the yard or on the street.
They also asked the study participants whether they took care of each other, such as doing yard work for one another or helped watching children, and whether the people in the neighborhood looked out for neighbors or called if they noticed a problem.

Positive Social Environment

The researchers also asked whether people knew neighbors by name, whether they had friendly talks at least once a week, and whether they could call on their neighbors for help or a favor, such as lending a cup of sugar.
For each single point in the scoring system for neighborhood cohesion, stroke survival increased 53%.
Stroke incidence didn’t differ among neighborhoods, but survival did. It was far better for those living in cohesive neighborhoods, regardless of gender. However, the difference in stroke survival was only seen in white study participants. This difference was not seen in African-American participants.
“Obviously, a complex set of factors influences health in older adults and we need to be careful drawing conclusions from these data,” Clark says. “Other research also has shown that the health-protective effects of cohesive neighborhoods may be stronger in whites. We plan to conduct future studies to try to understand these findings.”
The researchers say one reason seniors who suffer strokes may be more likely to survive in closer-knit neighborhoods is that others looking out for them might assist in getting help sooner if stroke symptoms occur.
“I think this indicates that a positive neighborhood social environment is as important to senior health as stress or even crime, but it is really a complex issue,” Clark says. “Nonetheless, it underscores the positive aspects of close neighbors and neighborhoods and should help bolster efforts to improve such cohesiveness.”
“Given the importance of neighborhood environments to older individuals and the fact that the population is rapidly aging, the characteristics of neighborhoods are and will continue to be of relevance to public health policies,” the researchers conclude.
The study is published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. MORE READ...

Brain Injury Association of New York State

2011-04-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

Annual Conference Scheduled for June 2nd and 3rd!

Brain Injury Association of New York State

Brain injury – it’s the last thing on your mind, until it’s the only thing on your mind. A brain injury changes everything. Nothing in your world is the same. What now? Who can you turn to? How will you find the resources you need to cope?
The Brain Injury Association of New York State is here to help. Whatever the cause of the injury - combat-related traumatic brain injury, stroke, a brain tumor, blast injury, concussion, or an acquired brain injury from exposure to chemicals - the Brain Injury Association of New York State offers resources, information and support. Here, you will find the help and hope you’ve been looking for.
Since 1982, we have provided information, resources, programs, advocacy, and support services to brain injury survivors, family members, health care professionals, and educators.
You are not alone. Here, you will find the help and hope you’ve been looking for. To navigate through our website, please click on the topics listed in the left-side menu.
Because no one should face the trauma of brain injury alone. More read....

Aphasia Chocolate fundraiser

2011-02-19T19:08:00.001-08:00

Tim Fischer | Posted: Thursday, February 10, 2011 8:12 pm

Jamie Jones gets some desserts for she and her husband Derrick Jones Thursday night at the Chocolate Decadence fundraiser for Aphasia Center of Midland. Photo by Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "MRT"

14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "WILD"

3 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "APHASIA"

Next.....

Aphasia Support Group

2010-11-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.readinghospital.org/evc/Page.asp?PageID=EVC000676&Date=2010-11-09T15:00:00

Aphasia Support Group

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 3:00 PM

Upcoming Dates for

Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person's ability to speak and understand others. The Aphasia Support Group is designed to help people with aphasia, family members, and friends deal with the ongoing challenges encountered when living with aphasia. The group sessions will include educational information, guest speakers, and opportunities for social interaction.

For more information please call 610-988-HELP.

Contact: 610-988-4357

Location:
The Reading Hospital for Post-Acute Rehabilitation
2802 Papermill Road
Wyomissing PA 19610

Welcome to Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp! .

2010-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to

Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp!

Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp is for people living with aphasia and their loved ones. We are offering an opportunity for campers to learn new ways to connect with one another while enjoying organized recreational activities in the beauty of Squamish, BC.

Maywood center applauds advance of bill to aid

2010-08-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Aphasia is a language disorder that limits a person’s reading, writing and speaking abilities. People maintain their intellect, but struggle to communicate. The most common causes are a stroke or a traumatic brain injury.
“We have trouble getting aphasia known to the general public,” said Elaine Adler who co-founded the Adler Aphasia Center in Maywood with her husband Mike, who suffers from the disorder. “Over a million people in the United States have aphasia and yet it’s not tip-of-the-tongue information.”
Mike Adler was told he would never speak again after his stroke. He proved the doctors wrong, and wanted to help others afflicted with the condition.
The Adlers hope the commission will bring much-needed awareness and more funding for programs like theirs...Next

Reedes Hurt

2010-08-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Reedes Hurt, 72, passed away from advanced Primary Progressive Aphasia, a rare type of frontotemporal dementia, on July 18, 2010.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

He was born on August 11, 1937 in the Eastern Coal Field region of Kentucky. He lived in coal mining camps until he was 12 years old when his parents, Henry and Anna Hurt, finally settled on Lott’s Creek, near the Perry/Knott County border.

He graduated from the historic Cordia Settlement School on Lott’s Creek and then Carr Creek High School at age 14 and enrolled at Alice Lloyd College (then Caney Junior College) in Pippa Passes, Ky. He went on to graduate from the University of Kentucky in 1957 with a BS in Anatomy and Physiology and received his MA in Health Care Administration from Central Michigan University in 1975.

Navigation * adolphimirjam.com Homepage * Privacy Policy Recent Posts * baby boomers voting politics * independent travellers baby boomers * baby boomer hygiene Speech Therapy Activities For Aphasia

2010-08-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

To proceed with, a first means of aphasia should be stabilized or treated. After doing so, thats a usually time which a therapist can work on a reconstruction of a patient. To redeem a persons denunciation function, he or she should proceed undergoing care as soon as possible successive a injury.

Speech Therapy: As A Treatment For Aphasia

Since there have been no surgical or medical procedures which have been now accessible to provide Aphasia, conditions which outcome from head injury or stroke can be improved by a diagnosis of debate therapy.

For infancy of Aphasic patients...Next

aphasia R we

2010-04-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is a blog started by 3 individuals with Aphasia who wish to share their personal stories, trials and triumphs. Next...

New Aphasia help group

2010-04-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

NOW WE’RE TALKING: Members of the Southend Speakability group at Wesley Methodist Church, in Leigh. Picture by Mark Cleveland

By Karen Davis

A NEW group has been set up in Leigh to help and support people whose speech has been affected by Aphasia.

Aphasia, also known as Dysphasia, is the los

New group helps aphasia patients find their fun

2010-03-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

Joe used to be the editor at Star Newspapers in Philadelphia. Each week, he was responsible for making sure the words in his papers — the Kensington Star, the Northern Liberties Star and the Fishtown Star — were correct.

But since Joe’s stroke, he has trouble with his own words because of a condition called aphasia, which makes it difficult for a person to say, process or recall language. The condition has left him unable to work, so he’s tried to find leisure activities in his community to help fill his free time. Still, he and many other aphasia patients in the same situation have reported feeling self-conscious, because often friends and neighbors can be impatient with the time it takes them to find the right words, or are frustrated with what looks like a lack of understanding. Next..

Brain injury inspiration!

2009-12-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

The first time I met Michael Rost I was sitting on the sidewalk at the Sprinter Station waiting rather impatiently for the train to the beach. I saw him walking towards me for what seemed like several minutes before he was close enough to give what I now consider a characteristic Mike greeting. I remember reacting hesitantly to his statement that we should “hang out sometime,” but luckily hesitancy gave way to uncertain acquiescence. Over time my acquiescence has given way to a hesitant enthusiasm. For Mike though, “everything is possible!”

Ten years ago Michael Rost was in a car crash causing him to endure the consequences of a traumatic brain injury. In a coma for a month, he had to relearn even the most basic of everyday movements. Now, his speech is slowed, his balance is off, his walking is labored and his hands shake, but despite these difficulties, Michael Rost has asked himself, “Self, what can you still do that is crazy and extreme?” Next....

Group offers fellowship, support for stroke survivors, caregivers

2009-12-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

Mark Ginder has been attending Frederick County Stroke Club meetings since 1992. That's the year his wife, Azalea, had a stroke.

The social and support group has been meeting the last Monday of the month for 35 years at Good..Next...

What is Aphasia? | The Aphasia Institute

2009-12-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Aphasia is an acquired disorder caused by an injury to the brain and affects a person’s ability to communicate. It is most often the result of stroke or head injury.
An individual with aphasia may experience difficulty expressing themselves when speaking, difficulty understanding the speech of others, and difficulty reading and writing. Sadly, aphasia can mask a person's intelligence and ability to communicate feelings, thoughts and emotions....More...

Aphasia Forum (Italy)

2009-11-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

aphasia
http://www.afasia.it/

When your brain does not allow you to use the words

to tell someone that you love him, to lie,

To order a caffe ', to tell a joke,

to insult, to betray, to make a compliment

to thank, to confess, to invite,

To hear a lie, to sign a contract,

making phone calls in America, to read a bill,

to apologize, to refuse an invitation,

ask for help when you're lost

Aphasia Project Intervention, research and social support (Italy)

2009-11-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

http://www.afasiatorino.it/

A global project to improve the quality of life
aphasic patients and acquired brain
A project gdal May 2000 the Foundation Pier Carlo study and implement interventions designed to improve the quality of life of patients with acquired cognitive deficits, especially aphasia, through a project of continuity of care, which is a structured way at different times which connects l 'Axis clinical / rehabilitation with the social. To this end there is a collaboration with the Service for Adults Logopedics ASL 1, with L 'Informahandicap ASL 1, under the District Social Services and with different groups of the Turin area and Liguria.

The experience in the field and to meet the complex and diverse reality of the aphasic person, has changed the initial plan of action and research in a network of collaborations on specific territory, and has stimulated the creation of a center - the CIRP - from which are made several interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of aphasia and his family.

How to help a friend with aphasia

2009-11-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

gracie1402 Member
By Amy Kuncaitis
User-Submitted Article
Article Rating: (13 Ratings)

Aphasia, is a loss of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language, due to injury to brain areas specialized for these functions, Broca's area, which governs language production, or Wernicke's area, which governs the interpretation of language. It is not a result of deficits in sensory, intellect, or psychiatric functioning, nor due to muscle weakness or a cognitive disorder.

Depending on the area and extent of the damage, someone suffering from aphasia may be able to speak but not write, or vice versa, or display any of a wide variety of other deficiencies in language comprehension and production, such as being able to sing but not speak. Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage

Aphasia can come in many different forms. Aphasia may occur in persons of any age, sex, race, or nationality. Vocation and education are not determining factors.

Here are some practical tips to help you communicate with someone who love who may be experiencing expressive aphasia or any other form.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2280546_help-friend-aphasia.html

Commitment evident at Aphasia Camp

2009-09-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

Posted By CAROL STEEDMAN
Posted 15 days ago

My June 12, 2004, and June 12, 2006, columns were about aphasia, a condition shared by about 40,000 Ontarians.

Aphasia is a language impairment that results from a blockage or bleed in the blood flow on the left side of the brain. More commonly known as a stroke or aneurysm, this damage is a brain attack, in the same way a person can suffer a heart attack. Depending on the location and extent of injury, the loss of language affects each person differently. The ability to talk, read, write and comprehend conversation can be impaired. This doesn't mean that the person's intellect is affected. The person can think and knows what he wants to communicate, but must find an alternate way to express his thoughts.

My husband, Steve Goff, had a stroke 15 years ago in March, at the age of 48. It changed his life immensely. He was unable to read, write, speak, or move his right arm and leg. The physical impairment cleared quickly, but he remained unable to speak many words. He had speech therapy in Kingston, where he was living at the time. Now he speaks a few words, but mainly uses writing and gestures to communicate.

I happen to be able to read in reverse, as a mirror image, so Steve writes words in the air, and I'm usually able to catch his meaning. I'm sure it amuses or captivates people who happen to see us in a discussion in a store or restaurant. ....NEXT....

Australian Aphasia Ass.

2009-09-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

What is Aphasia? (ay-faze-yuh)

Aphasia is a language difficulty caused by damage to the brain.

People with aphasia/dysphasia have difficulty with:

talking

listening

reading

writing

numbers

Contact the Australian Aphasia Association Inc. We would love to hear your comments or questions. Contact us at:
	PO Box 6104, St Lucia Qld 4067

	Phone: 0439 755 052

	Email: questions@aphasia.org.au

Family finds hope while watching Aphasia Center grow

2009-07-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

by Kathleen Thurber
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:15 AM CDT
As their 6-year-old granddaughter traipsed back to the Aphasia Center of West Texas' conference room with a cartoon of milk and handful of Cheetos one recent afternoon, Ronnie Davis laughed slightly and said the center has become their family's second home.

"Everyone spoils her here," she said, smiling as she opened a scrapbook in front of her husband Gary, who's been a member at the Aphasia Center since its beginning at Trinity Towers in 2002. Next...

Read more: http://www.mywesttexas.com

Bay Area Program for Stroke Survivors Takes Big Strides

2009-07-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Oakland, CA - The Aphasia Center of California (ACC) is a twelve-year-old not-for-profit organization based in Oakland and recognized internationally as a model for services for those affected by aphasia. To mark National Aphasia Awareness month (June of each year), ACC is hosting a walkathon to let friends and family members know that they're not alone and that services are available. 'Walk to Talk' takes place at 9:45am on Saturday, June 27th starting from the Downtown Oakland Senior Center at 200 Grand Avenue. Next...

Come Home Dad

2009-04-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

On February 22nd at roughly 2AM, my father woke up with a start and asked my Mother for help. He was experiencing a traumatic stroke that would change things for all of us.

He wants to go home.

...

Officially, there are 5 stages of grief as it relates to a significant loss in your life:

Denial and Isolation
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

...

I'm no expert on anything emotional. The running joke around my house is "my husband with the cold dead black heart." So, I'm obviously at a loss to fully explain Dad's feelings or where he's at emotionally. It's clear that Dad is working through his loss at this time.

There is a paper on the wall that talks about patients with aphasia and how to interact with them. I don't remember everything on the list, but it all seemed fairly common sense:

Talk directly to them.
Loss of speech isn't a loss of intelligence.
Loss of speech isn't always an inability to understand.
Ask them questions that can be answered with a "yes" or "no."

I think I've heard the term before, but tonight was the first time I've seen "aphasia" applied to Dad. Next...................

Aphasia: The Great Leveler

2008-06-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

cite as:
Shafer, D. N. (2008, June 17). Aphasia: The great leveler. The ASHA Leader, 13(8), 26-27.

by Dee Naquin Shafer

Although research indicates that people who survive strokes can continue to improve with rehabilitation, traditional speech and language services usually are reimbursed by insurance only for a few months. Across the country, new alternatives focus on group treatment for stroke survivors who are no longer considered "acute."

Such treatment models help people with aphasia because they can learn from one another as they explore new ways of communicating to resume their interests and relationships.

In 1998, the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia Group formalized ideas about a consumer-driven service-delivery approach for individuals with aphasia ("Life Participation Approach to Aphasia: A Statement of Values for the Future," The ASHA Leader, Feb. 15, 2000). A sampling of aphasia treatment centers around the country reveals common threads that draw on this approach, despite variations in setting, reimbursement, and programming.
Patient to Patient

"[Patients] can teach each other in ways that you or I can't. They model from each other so much better than they could model from us," said Jan Avent, professor and director of the Aphasia Treatment Program (ATP) in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at California State University East Bay (Hayward).

Avent noted opportunities for creative treatments. One ATP group connects members with an aphasia support group in South Africa by e-mail. Another program focuses on food tastings, an activity that patients take home.

"We used a rating scale, from 1 to 5. I watched a member—she was practicing counting," she said. "It was striking to me that watching [a fellow patient] helped, where my showing [counting] wasn't enough to learn it."

The Stroke Comeback Center (SCC, Oakton, Virginia) sponsors 21 speech-language pathologist-led groups each week. Speech-language pathology students from local universities participate as interns and nursing students observe. SLPs lead the groups in various drills, using photos or lists of words to stimulate conversation.

"The beauty of group treatment is that members who have more difficulty in communication do wonderful things when they see the example of other group members," notes Darlene Williamson, SCC executive director.

One of the oldest aphasia treatment centers in the country, University of Michigan Aphasia Program (UMAP, Ann Arbor), includes a daily group meeting. The clients also receive three hours of individual treatment a day.

"One of the real powers of the program is it helps clients to risk attempting language again," said Joanne Marttila Pierson, UMAP associate director. "We have [participants] talk about the power of being in community with others who have aphasia."
Group Activities

"We use therapeutic methods that are evidence-based," SCC's Williamson said. "But we're not measuring the number of words they are able to say; we are measuring how they are able to actively participate in life."

In one group earlier this year, the topic was each member's "bucket list," a reference to a movie in which two terminally ill men write and then carry out their wish list of things to do.

"The young people joined right in," she said, referring to two men in their early 20s who attend the center. Both had strokes as a result of aneurysms. "They said, ‘Hey, I'm 23—anything, anything [would be on my bucket list].'"

Pierson echoed the life participation approach, saying, "We get [clients] out, experiencing life, so they can practice and move into similar activities back home."

The UMAP group eats lunch together daily, and goes out to dinner on Wednesdays. Staff members join the dinner group and assess treatment outcomes informally. On weekends, the group shares activities such as movies, bowling, or shopping.

ATP includes a unique system—reciprocal scaffolding treatment—that Avent devised, which places people with aphasia who have special skills into teaching situations. The treatment can be used for any expert or novice.

It began with one of her patients, Wilson Talley. As a nuclear physicist, Talley taught university classes, co-authored books with Edward Teller, father of the hydrogen bomb, and served as a presidential advisor. In 1998 at age 63, Talley had a stroke. He became the first in ATP to attend preschool as both a student and a professor. By practicing basic communication with the students, he taught them basic science.

"Aphasia is the great leveler," Avent said. "In that dynamic interaction with children, he had to learn on his feet to communicate more effectively."

The reciprocal scaffolding was so successful the preschool asked Talley to stay on, for which he received recognition as a White House Fellow. Avent accompanied Talley and his wife and daughter to Washington, DC, on Oct. 26, 2007, for the award ceremony.

"For him to ask three women to be his voice [at the event] was one of the highlights of my career," said Avent, who also made a presentation and discussed the effects of stroke.
Support for Caregivers

Family members are quite involved in Virginia's SCC, volunteering time, donating books and other resources, or helping with fundraising. The family presence led to a weekly two-hour caregivers support group. Members also sometimes meet elsewhere for dinners or card games.

At ATP, family members are not as involved as Avent would like. It is difficult in the crowded San Francisco Bay area to bring people together, she said. Some family members meet for lunch once a month.

UMAP includes a weekly caregivers' support group, recognizing that "we are social beings," Pierson said.

"It's why we develop language. [That's why] you don't just work with a person who has aphasia," she added. "You encompass all aspects of their lives."
Funding for Treatment

SCC charges on a sliding scale and will not turn away anyone. The center, funded mostly through public and private donations, has obtained some grant money. Williamson credits much of the center's success to a former client, Janice Rodriguez (see sidebar), a lawyer and computer tech who works pro bono for the center.

As a university training program, ATP charges fees on a sliding scale and also will not turn away applicants. However, at times, participants may have to wait for a new session because it is important for everyone in groups to be present from the first day, Avent said.

UMAP is private-pay, Pierson said. Clients file for insurance reimbursement themselves. Some attend shorter treatment sessions, some receive vocational rehabilitation funding, and UMAP provides a limited amount of scholarship money.
Future Directions

"We're experimenting with telegroups, Skype visual phone interactions, and long-distance e-mail buddies," Avent said. "I think all of these types of social connections, along with other Internet-based communication, will become increasingly important."

UMAP is working on caregiver handbooks and developing workshops to train not only caregivers as is currently done, but also members of a client's home community.

"It would allow a client to build an intensive treatment program on their own [at home]. Their program would be managed by an SLP," Pierson said.

Improved emergency treatment for stroke is increasing the number of people who survive strokes at the same time health care dollars are shrinking, Williamson notes.

"A whole category of people are being limited by communication impairments," she said. "These centers are really where it's going to be in the future."

End Article Logo

Secret weapon in mother’s recovery from a stroke

2008-06-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

manda McEwan's recovery from a stroke at the age of just 29 has been aided by an unlikely helper - her six-year-old son, Owen.

Nothing could have prepared Ms McEwan for the shock of having a stroke when she was so young.

But setting out how to deal with the aftermath of such a life-changing event is something that can be eased by adequate preparation.

As well as receiving support from the Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland's group in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Ms McEwan is helped by Owen as they both learn to read and write.

Her case emerged as professional and voluntary bodies today call on the Scottish Government to do more to help nearly one in five stroke sufferers who are failed by the health service.

Speech therapists and support groups say not enough is done to help people who struggle to communicate after a stroke.

It is estimated that around 15% of the 12,500 Scots who suffer a stroke each year fall through the support net and do not receive adequate help to rebuild communication skills, often leaving them frustratingly cut off from family and the wider community.

Ms McEwan, 35, has made a remarkable recovery after doctors feared she may not survive. Hers is an example of how it should be done, and she receives "amazing" help through her Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, support group.

"They are amazing, but so is Owen. He makes me read from word to word as he is learning and he is only . . ." She counts out loud, one to six, before adding "six", an illustration of how she must relearn basic tasks.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in Scotland, the Stroke Association, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and Speakability have joined forces to make sure everyone has the level of treatment Ms McEwan was given. They want improved recording of such communication disabilities, possibly by introducing a "Scottish stroke care audit".

Without knowing the numbers of stroke victims who have problems talking, planning care is hampered. The campaigners are calling for easier routes for patients to have speech therapy support through clear referral procedures and continuing help for as long as it is needed.

They said the call is supported by the Stroke Association's research in its Lost Without Words report.

Maddy Halliday, director Scotland of the Stroke Association, said: "Experiencing a stroke can have many severe consequences. One of the most common and devastating effects can be the onset of a communication disability.

"Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and Speakability provide communication support services across Scotland, and this is greatly valued by people affected by aphasia."

But she added: "Because we don't know the numbers of people affected by a communication disability, we don't know if everyone who needs a service is getting one. Lost Without Words is a call to action to address need and catch those who may be falling through the gaps in receiving this vital support."

The report recommends a clear referral procedure into communication support services as the procedures are at present not consistent.

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland chief executive David Clark said: "Amanda's story highlights that speech problems, or aphasia, are the real hidden disabilities after stroke. Being unable to communicate normally is incredibly frustrating and, as in Amanda's case, often affects whole families."

A damaged brain

A STROKE occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and brain cells are damaged or destroyed.

Because the brain controls everything the body does, damage to the brain will affect body functions.

It can also affect how we think, learn, feel and communicate.

A stroke is sudden and the effects on the body are immediate.

While strokes mostly affect people over 65, some 20% are experienced by people under that age.

Stroke is the leading cause of severe disability among adults.

It is the third most common cause of death, killing three times as many women as breast cancer.

UMAP: Program Helps Patients with Aphasia Regain Speech

2008-03-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

A 40-year-old man suffers a stroke and suddenly only has the speaking ability of a toddler. The disorder is called aphasia, but patients are discovering there is a way to find the words again. FOX 2's Deena Centofanti has more on the University of Michigan Aphasia Program.

Hospital CAO speaks with Stroke Recovery group

2008-03-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

General & Marine Hospital CEO Linda Davis recently attended a Nottawasaga Bay Stroke Recovery Association meeting in Wasaga Beach to speak to member about the future plans for the hospital and the services it offers.

Davis said the G&M's vision is to provide timely access to care and facilitate seamless care for patients within and outside the hospital.

The CEO spoke on the strategic goals for the facility, including a necessary expansion of the existing facility, more parking, and to build on improvements to staff, physician and volunteer satisfaction as well as the 'Community of Caring' concept which includes a smoke-free and environmentally-friendly hospital. With the growth of....

WHO ARE WE?

2008-01-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

WHO ARE WE?
THE UW SP&H CLINIC APHASIA GROUP
The University of Washington Speech and
Hearing Clinic offers many types of sup-
port for their clients. One of these is a
group specifically designed for adults with
aphasia as a result of stroke and/or brain
injury. The group meets on a weekly basis
and is facilitated by Nancy Alarcon, M.S.,
CCC-SLP.

Members of the group state that the group
helps them with “understanding the experi-
ence” [of aphasia] and that it offers them a
“comfortable environment” in which they
can share a “common tragedy”. UW APHASIA GROUP 2001

Left to Right: Doug Graham, Jean Williams, Bob Anderson, NEXT...

Aphasia support group starts up

2008-01-17T16:48:00.001-08:00

Herald Times Reporter

TWO RIVERS – Aurora Medical Center is introducing a monthly support group called SpeakEasy for people with aphasia, a condition that may affect a person’s ability to speak, understand speech, read and write.

SpeakEasy will meet from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Aurora Medical Center, 5000 Memorial Drive, Two Rivers.

Meetings are free and open to the public.

Aphasia is usually acquired as a result of a stroke or other brain injury and may add considerable stress to a family’s daily routine, according to an Aurora news release.

A person diagnosed with aphasia has to deal with the change in his or her ability to communicate and participate in prior activities. Family and friends may feel helpless and frustrated because they cannot understand exactly what their loved one is thinking or trying to say.

SpeakEasy meetings will provide an opportunity to share ideas, frustrations and learn ways to increase communication in everyday life.

“We chose the name ‘SpeakEasy’ due to its double meaning,” said Aurora speech and language pathologist Valerie Shepperd. “It refers not only to the idea of communicating freely, but also brings to mind the speakeasies established during prohibition where people went to relax and have a good time.”

The Importance of Aphasia Group Treatment for Rebuilding Community and Health

2007-11-21T09:10:00.001-08:00

Abstract:
Recent interest in aphasia group treatment has been motivated by the potential benefits of working in a group environment. This article provides research evidence for the speech-language and psychosocial benefits of conversationally based aphasia groups. The history of aphasia groups and independent aphasia centers consistent with a social model of healthcare and the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia is traced. Research evidence is reviewed that demonstrates positive health benefits of building interpersonal relationships and community. It is argued that an important role for the speech-language pathologist is to help reconnect persons with aphasia to their family members, their friends, and their community.

next...

Notes from a Caregiver

2007-10-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

Don't Forget the Baby!

One of the things I feared most happened last night. I asked my husband to go out to the office (we run a home-based business, the office is practically in our garage) to check on something. On the way out, he nearly stepped on our toddler, Rowan. I mean, he had to step...Next....

my story 1 by Banu Turhan

2007-10-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

my story 5 -aphasia assement at the hospital

Then she takes the pad and writes the name of my husband. She asks me to copy it down. To my surprise, I can do it. She writes down "Kaan" I can also copy it down. But when she gives me a blank page I cannot write anything down but my name over an over again.

She wants me to imitate her in saying certain vowels like: "OOOO, UUUU, EEEEE". Let alone imitating them, I cannot even fathom what she wants me to do. It is almost like she has came from another planet and she wants me to use telekinesis to bend a spoon or something. How shall I know how to do it? Which command shall my brain issue to bend the spoon? I have no idea! Next......

Stroke/Apahsia Group

2007-10-19T20:12:00.001-07:00

Stroke/Aphasia: Stroke of Hope Support Group, 9:30 a.m. second Tuesday, fellowship hall, Sebastian United Methodist Church, 1029 Main St., Sebastian; (772) 388-0582, (772) 713-3571, (772) 335-5320.

St. John’s Speech-Language Pathology Professor Launches Volunteer Program at St. Vincent’s Medical Center

2007-09-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2007

As the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign heats up, several candidates are looking at the issue of health care, arguing that many Americans’ inadequate insurance coverage prevents them from seeking proper treatment. In the case of aphasia — an impairment of the ability to use or comprehend words, usually acquired as the result of a stroke or other brain injury — many of those afflicted are unable to access the clinical care and support they need.

This lack of access has motivated José Centeno, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology and a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP), to take matters into his own hands: last year, he joined a small handful of other concerned SLPs and began offering pro bono clinical services for stroke survivors and their families at St. Vincent’s Medical Center , in Manhattan. Beginning September 17, Centeno, a leading expert in the effects of aphasia on bilingual individuals, and his colleagues will launch what is perhaps the country’s first volunteer program dedicated to Spanish-English bilingual aphasia patients. NEXT...............

Chance to help people affected by a stroke

2007-09-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

View Gallery

IF you have ever thought about putting your skills of compassion, listening and support to good use through volunteering, The Stroke Association is holding finding out sessions on Tuesday, October 2, in Driffield.

The event is intended for people interested in volunteering for their communication support service in East Yorkshire.

Volunteers are especially needed to provide home visits to people who have aphasia, a condition often caused by stroke which affects a person's ability to speak, understand, read and/or write.

Training is provided to enable volunteers to work with stroke survivors on all aspects of communication, with the aim of building up confidence and independence, and achieving the best possible recovery from stroke.

Local Therapy Group Aims to Help Those With Aphasia

2007-08-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Raleigh — Most people know what it's like to try to grasp for the right word but draw a blank.

For people with brain injury from stroke or other causes, it can happen all the time with almost every word. It's a communication disorder called Aphasia.

Special group therapy may help people with Aphasia to relearn ways to communicate, either through words, writing or gestures.

Among the members of a therapy group at WakeMed is a former N.C. State public speaking professor, a former truck driver and a beloved mother, Elizabeth Cox.

She described her story in halting speech, "I had a stroke, and thanks be to God, I survived."

Cox's stroke lead to Aphasia.

"If you have Aphasia, it's like having a file cabinet that has all of your information and your knowledge stored and it gets tipped upside down," said Maura Silverman, an Aphasia therapy specialist.

With Aphasia, the words are scrambled, but the intellect is intact, according to Silverman. That's what Cox's daughter, Julie Stickler, said she knew all along.

WakeMed and Triangle Aphasia Project Join Forces

2007-08-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

RALEIGH, N.C. - WakeMed Health & Hospitals and the Triangle Aphasia Project (TAP) have joined forces to provide lifelong therapeutic support to patients through the Triangle Aphasia Project at WakeMed Rehab.

An estimated one million people in the United States have acquired aphasia - a communication disorder usually the result of a stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor or progressive neurological condition. This frustrating disorder may reduce a person's ability to understand written or spoken information and always affects their ability to find the words they want to say. Reading, writing, listening and speaking are so vital to our connections in the community and impairments like aphasia can be devastating to a person's self-confidence and willingness to participate in activities they enjoy.

For many years, the Triangle Aphasia Project operated as a community-based program to meet the needs of those with aphasia, offering a comprehensive range of support programs throughout Central North Carolina. As the number of individuals impacted by aphasia has grown, so has the need for additional services, financial support and resources.
"By welcoming the Triangle Aphasia Project into the WakeMed family, we are able to provide life-long therapeutic support well after insurance coverage is exhausted for patients and their families coping with Aphasia," commented Elaine Rohlik, executive director of the WakeMed Rehabilitation Hospital, the largest most comprehensive in-patient rehab hospital in the area. "We also are pleased to extend the continuum of care for our speech/language and brain injury patients."

The Triangle Aphasia Project at WakeMed Rehab is one of the few specialized aphasia programs in the country offering treatment groups, personalized home programs, family education and training and support. Collaborating with family and caregivers, the Triangle Aphasia Project at WakeMed Rehab works to remove barriers to information, recreation and vocational pursuits for the individual with aphasia.

Aphasia leaves them groping for words

2007-07-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE
DAILY RECORD
Tuesday, July 10, 2007

MORRISTOWN -- Donna Gabriel paints and plays piano. Give John Dingman a set of charcoal and he'll go to town on portraits, seascapes and landscapes. Sally Cullinane volunteers, and Alvin Kornfeld has nine grandchildren to keep him on his toes.

Every Monday, these people from different walks of life come together as a group for coffee, bagels and conversation -- all in the name of social support.

"Speaking is very important," said Cullinane, of Morris Plains. "Conversation is very important. We have to remind ourselves to talk to a lot of people and teach them about aphasia."

Cullinane is one of group of stroke survivors who are living with aphasia and learning to speak, read and write again.

She speaks slowly but determinedly and occasionally flails her hands in frustration when the words or thoughts get stuck.

She looks at speech pathologist Marilyn Certner-Smith, who encourages her to take her time.

"You're doing great," Roberta Ellert chimes in.

Dingman offers her a piece of paper and pencil -- sometimes spelling out what one can't say is easier.

The neurological disorder is caused by damage to the speech and language centers of the brain. One-third of aphasia cases result from a stroke. Others stem from brain tumor or head trauma.

"The intellect and ideas are preserved, and there is conceptual understanding of word language," Certner-Smith said.

Aphasia affects about 1 million people in the United States, with 80,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Treatment involves language therapy and intensive rehabilitation with a speech pathologist in which patients read, write, follow directions and repeat what they hear.

The Living with Aphasia Community Group allows them to celebrate successes and overcome language obstacles with empathetic compassion.

Spearheaded by group facilitator and speech therapist Certner-Smith, the group formed more than two years ago and has a core attendance of five to six people who range in age from 57 to 65 years old.

The first hour is dedicated to a structured discussion and the second is for socializing.

"This is a psychological wellness group," Certner-Smith said. "No one knows what it feels like unless you've got it."

An animated dog barking "Meow!" on Ellert's T-shirt sums it up.

"For us this (T-shirt) tells the story," said Ellert, of Berkeley Heights. "Each one of us has a different difficulty of saying things."

Ellert, for example struggles with word substitution and occasionally she will speak certain words in French.

"I think I spoke French at some point," she said.

After their strokes, Ellert and Gabriel temporarily lost their long-term memory.

"For two whole years I couldn't remember," Gabriel said.

Many aphasia patients carry a card identifying the disorder and explanation of their symptoms.

Two-time stroke survivor Kornfeld, of Succasunna, produces a card that gets right to the point:

"I have aphasia.

"This means I have difficulty talking, reading and writing, particularly when under pressure.

"You can help

"By taking things slowly and giving me time.

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, Dingman hands out a card courtesy of the National Aphasia Foundation informing strangers of his condition.

"My mind works perfectly well, I just have difficulty communicating.

"How you can help:

"Speaking takes time.

"Speaking is very difficult.

"Comprehending speech is difficult.

"Use simple drawings.

"Writing key words helps.

"Numbers are difficult."

Cullinane wears a purple awareness bracelet engraved with "aphasia."

In order to further awareness, the Morristown group has teamed up with the National Aphasia Association on a campaign to create an aphasia postage stamp.

The condition has also gained national attention in the comic strip "For Better or For Worse."

In September 2006, the character Jim, the grandfather, acquired aphasia as a result of a stroke. The strip's author, Lynn Johnston, draws from her own life experiences.

Support group on launch pad

2007-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

PEOPLE in the Driffield area who suffer from speech difficulties have been given the chance to join a new support group, which will be launched next week.

The Speakability group, which helps people with the condition aphasia, will hold its first meeting at The Lodge, Nafferton Slack, next Monday, June 18, between 1.30pm and 3pm.

Helen Bellis, senior group worker for the East Riding Social Services, said they aimed to work in partnership with other agencies to provide a wider service to the public. The condition, which has no known cure, can be brought about by strokes, head injuries or other neurological conditions.

It is thought that around a quarter of a million people have the condition in Britain.

More than 90 support groups are currently operating across the country, including groups in Hull and York.

Graham Johnson, of the charity’s self-help group development team, said: “It's a self-help group, so members decide what they want to do at each get-together. “They may arrange a visit or an outing, they may invite a speaker, they may just spend the time enjoying each other's company, having a laugh.”

The group, which is being organised in partnership with the Driffield Resource Centre, is open to anyone who has communication difficulties and their carers.

It is thought that meetings will be held once a fortnight at first.

Event Highlights Fri.May 4,2007-Newton Marriott Hotel

2007-04-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

stroke luncheon flyer.pdf
mail back.pdf

Download

Lisa Antzelevitch
Director, Strategic Health Alliances
American Heart Association
Northeast Affiliate
20 Speen Street
Framingham, MA 01701
Ph: 508-935-3902
Fax: 508-620-6157
LisaA@heart.org
LEARN AND LIVE
February is American Heart Month! Go Red!

The Aphasia Center of Innovative Treatment

2007-04-16T13:38:00.001-07:00

The Board of Directors of The Aphasia Center of Innovative Treatment is pleased to announce the winner of its Young Person with Aphasia Scholarship award for 2006. She is Shiloh Hendricks of Columbus, GA. Shiloh attended 3 days of intensive aphasia therapy in Pittsburgh provided by Bill Connors and Heather Mackey, a graduate student in Speech/Language Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh . Shiloh also attended the monthly meeting of the Aphasia Support Group of Western PA and several small, self-help group sessions with other patients. She will receive additional intensive aphasia therapy sessions as well as ongoing assistance including caregiver training and therapy materials this year. Shiloh’s thoughts about her experience will be available at www.aphasiatoolbox.com. Information concerning the 2007 scholarship will be available in May of 2007. To register to receive information concerning the 2007 scholarship, send an email to information@aphasiatoolbox.com and request '2007 scholarship information'.

Stroke Support Groups

2007-04-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

What is a Support Group?

Support groups are a way to meet other stroke survivors or caregivers who understand what you are going through. They can provide support, help you problem solve, learn about stroke and recovery issues, help you find local resources, or just have fun. Groups can meet monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly and at different times of the day. Sometimes you may need to visit several groups in order to find one that is right for you.

Find A Support Group

If you are looking for a stroke group in your area, search the Stroke Group Registry by entering either a ZIP code and choosing a mileage radius, or entering a state, to find a group near you.

Stroke Support Group Registry Search

2007-04-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Our goal is to respond to what you want... to help you get on with your life.
Who Can Join the Adler Aphasia Center

We welcome people with Aphasia, their caregivers, family and friends. You will find support, caring and encouragement at the center as well as meaningful programs and activities.

The center provides volunteer opportunities and invites you to call about ways to get involved.
How can I find out more about the Adler Aphasia Center?

You can visit or contact us at the center.

2007-04-07T09:14:00.001-07:00

For People with Aphasia:

Shirley Morganstein and Marilyn Certner Smith have been collaborators in aphasia therapy since the 1970's, when they met while working at Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation in New York. They are fully certified speech-language pathologists, licensed in New Jersey, and New York. Their offices in Montclair, New Jersey provide a comfortable place for people with aphasia to begin or continue their journey into life participation.

Aphasia org

2007-03-24T14:16:00.001-07:00

Canadian Resources click on Canada in Table of States below.

AL	AK	AZ	AR	CA
CO	CT	DC	DE	FL
GA	HI	ID	IL	IN
IA	KS	KY	LA	ME
MD	MA	MI	MN	MS
MO	MT	NE	NV	NH
NJ	NM	NY	NC	ND
OH	OK	OR	PA	RI
SC	SD	TN	TX	UT
VT	VA	WA	WV	WI
WY			CANADA

Struck Dumb

2007-03-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Pilgrim opens festival of

Voices in the Theatre

at Boston Center for the Arts Black Box Theater
539 Tremont Street

Boston, MA 02159
Opens Wednesday, March 14!

Performances through April 7

Call BCA Box office for tickets and information (617)426-ARTS(2787)

Each production will be ASL-interpreted by Joan Wattman

The third in Pilgrim Theatre’s successful series Crossing Borders Festival / Voices brings together an extraordinary array of performative voices at Boston Center for the Arts’ Black Box Theatre. Each of the four productions proposes a different use of the actor’s tool. From a confrontation with aphasia (vocal impairment due to stroke); to what lies buried under what is NOT spoken; to a border line traversed in song; to the sound of a human psyche in a haunted recognition of oneself; the four productions offer a feast for the theatre-lover.

Gene-Gabriel Moore is a veteran actor. His solo performance of Struck Dumb will open the Crossing Borders III Festival. At 72 and a stroke survivor, he has spent the last 14 years learning to live with aphasia and has also founded and directed his own theatre company, Not Merely Players. Located at 7 Stages, a highly respected theatre in Altanta Georgia, under the artistic direction of Del Hamilton, Not Merely Players is the international professional theatre whose central focus is on people with disabilities and the performing arts.

Joseph Chaikin and Jean-Claude van Itallie's one-character classic, Struck Dumb, is a play about a day in the life of a man with aphasia. Del Hamilton, who worked with the theatre visionary theatre artist, Joseph Chaikin, for many years, directed the work. In this production, Gene-Gabriel Moore performs Adnan, a world-famous classical singer whose life is turned around and upside down after a stroke left him aphasic. It is drawn from the legendary director Chaikin's own life experiences. Strokes also swept over the life of 72-year-old Moore, who this year marked his 55th year in the professional theatre. Moore notes, "It is something of a miracle that I am returning to the stage. Not so very long ago my doctors were swearing up and down that I'd live out the rest of my days a vegetable."

The path the play undertook on its journey to Atlanta is itself the stuff of American theatre chronicles. It was commissioned in the 'eighties by the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and performed by the late Joseph Chaikin first at the Taper and then at American Place Theater in New York City. Van Itallie has described the work as "a theatrical metaphor for Adnan's mind."

All through the 'nineties, 7 Stages brought Chaikin here to direct plays by Miller, Beckett, Albee, Ionesco, Van Itallie, Shepard. Moore and Chaikin were teenage actors in New York, in the 'fifties, but they did not become friends until Del Hamilton and Faye Allen re-introduced them over a meal of east Indian cuisine in Atlanta. In the last days of rehearsal of Arthur Miller's "Broken Glass," the play Chaikin directed shortly before his death, his last, he and Moore agreed that he should perform the character Adnan. Two years after Chaikin's death, Moore, who became disabled in the wake of a tumor in the environs of his brain stem and, during surgery, the first of three strokes, met with playwright Jean-Claude van Itallie, who also urged him to take up the challenge.

Aphasia is a communication impairment. Van Itallie once said, "It has been said that one does not usually recover from aphasia, but that, by dint of hard work and time, one recovers with aphasia." The intelligence is intact, but speaking takes a little more time, speaking is often very difficult.

Struck Dumb opens March 14 at BCA’s Black Box Theatre. The opening performance will be ASL-interpreted by Joan Wattman. Performances are Wednesday, March 14 through Saturday, March 17 at 8 pm. On Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 18 there will be matinees at 2 p.m. After the Sunday performance there will be a post-show reception and symposium about aphasia with actor Gene-Gabriel Moore, playwright Jean-Claude van Itallie, Jerome Kaplan of the Boston Aphasia Society and members of Pilgrim Theatre.

Tickets: Wed. Special Sliding Scale from $5

Thurs. and Matinees $20 / $15 student & senior

Fri. and Sat. $23 / $15 student & Senior

Survivors Stories - UK

2007-02-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

Recovery and rehabilitation from stroke present particular challenges for the younger survivor. One day fit and well, the next moment disabled. The stroke survivor must come to terms with physical and emotional changes as well as significant lifestyle adjustments - mobility, job, income, dependence, relationships - everything changes.

With 90% of strokes affecting those aged over 55, current provision inevitably focuses attention on the older stroke survivor. The specific and complex needs of the younger and the more active stroke survivor have not received the full attention that they deserve.

Before Different Strokes, there was no single organisation able to provide the comprehensive support service that younger survivors need. NEXT..............

Marymount

2007-02-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

Forums

2007-02-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

Group

Via Christi Stroke Center Earns Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Via Christi’s Stroke Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award — the organization’s highest award for stroke care.

After traumatic injury, recovery starts with the B.R.A.I.N.

By Ashley Curtin

Happy Anniversary… to my Stroke?! By Catherine Lewallen

NEWSMAN, STRANDED BY STROKE, FINALLY GOING HOME

Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music

Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music

Survey to find out about the daily life of stroke victims

Stroke centers no worse at weekend treatment

Season of Hope

Season of Hope

By BOB TEES

Posted 1 month ago

Fresh attack on stroke unit plan

Neurology and Neuroscience Our Stroke Centers

About Our Stroke Centers

New source of support for stroke survivors in Ellesmere Port

New source of support for stroke survivors in Ellesmere Port

Lower Stroke Death Risk in Close-Knit Neighborhoods

Lower Stroke Death Risk in Close-Knit Neighborhoods

Measuring Neighborhood Cohesiveness

Positive Social Environment

Brain Injury Association of New York State

Annual Conference Scheduled for June 2nd and 3rd!

Brain Injury Association of New York State

Aphasia Chocolate fundraiser

14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "MRT"

14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "WILD"

3 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "APHASIA"

Next.....

Aphasia Support Group

Aphasia Support Group

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - 3:00 PM

Upcoming Dates for

For more information please call 610-988-HELP.

Welcome to Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp! .

Maywood center applauds advance of bill to aid

Reedes Hurt

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aphasia R we

New Aphasia help group

New group helps aphasia patients find their fun

Brain injury inspiration!

Group offers fellowship, support for stroke survivors, caregivers

What is Aphasia? | The Aphasia Institute

Aphasia Forum (Italy)

Aphasia Project Intervention, research and social support (Italy)

How to help a friend with aphasia

Commitment evident at Aphasia Camp

Australian Aphasia Ass.

What is Aphasia? (ay-faze-yuh)

Contact the Australian Aphasia Association Inc.

Family finds hope while watching Aphasia Center grow

Bay Area Program for Stroke Survivors Takes Big Strides

Come Home Dad

Aphasia: The Great Leveler

Secret weapon in mother’s recovery from a stroke

UMAP: Program Helps Patients with Aphasia Regain Speech

Hospital CAO speaks with Stroke Recovery group

WHO ARE WE?

Aphasia support group starts up

The Importance of Aphasia Group Treatment for Rebuilding Community and Health

Notes from a Caregiver

Don't Forget the Baby!

my story 1 by Banu Turhan

Stroke/Apahsia Group

St. John’s Speech-Language Pathology Professor Launches Volunteer Program at St. Vincent’s Medical Center

Chance to help people affected by a stroke

Local Therapy Group Aims to Help Those With Aphasia

WakeMed and Triangle Aphasia Project Join Forces

Aphasia leaves them groping for words

Support group on launch pad

Event Highlights Fri.May 4,2007-Newton Marriott Hotel

The Aphasia Center of Innovative Treatment

Stroke Support Groups

Aphasia org

Struck Dumb

Survivors Stories - UK