Lost for Words Workshop Aphasia / Dysphasia Lost for Words Workshop

About Aphasia Speech and Language Therapist

Nicola Harkin Expert in Aphasia Had a stroke many years ago when she was very young

1st Explain about Aphasia 2nd Round table conversation 3rd Feedback top tips

1st Explain about Aphasia Dysphasia means the same as Aphasia

Aphasia is caused by a stroke in a particular part of the brain

It affects people of all ages No one person has exactly the same pattern of aphasia

Feeling no one understands At times just want to give up! Everyone reacts to aphasia in their own unique way Need to understand more about aphasia Feeling no one understands At times just want to give up! ANGER –Why me?

Families also react to aphasia in their own unique way

It takes time to adjust to living with aphasia It takes time to find a meaningful life again with aphasia Aphasia can and does improve

Nicola: How hard was it to rebuild your life with aphasia?

More about aphasia

I have aphasia I am NOT stupid

✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ Making sense of what you hear Making sense of what you read Speaking- finding words and making sentences ✖ Writing/typing

Filing Cabinet of all the Meanings of the words we know and use Making sense of what you hear Making sense of what you read Speaking finding words and making sentences Writing/typing

‘cat’ Wants to say ‘dog’’ Get into right drawer But wrong file FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Get into right drawer But wrong file ‘cat’

‘Girl’ Wants to say ‘boy’’ Get into right drawer But wrong file FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Wants to say ‘boy’’ Get into right drawer But wrong file ‘Girl’

‘No’ Wants to say ‘yes’ Get into right drawer But wrong file FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Wants to say ‘yes’ Get into right drawer But wrong file ‘No’

‘10’ ‘9’ Wants to say Get into right drawer But wrong file FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Wants to say ‘10’ Get into right drawer But wrong file ‘9’

‘10’ ‘9’ Wants to say Get into right drawer But wrong file FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Wants to say ‘10’ Get into right drawer But wrong file ‘9’

Gets the meaning for ‘cat’ FILING CABINET OF WORD MEANINGS Get into right drawer But wrong file Hears ‘dog’ Gets the meaning for ‘cat’

Gets the meaning for ‘Tuesday’ Hears ‘Monday’’ Get into right drawer But wrong file Gets the meaning for ‘Tuesday’

Gets the meaning for ‘8pm’ Hears ‘6pm’’ Get into right drawer But wrong file Gets the meaning for ‘8pm’

Sometimes the filing cabinet does not open Why?

Why? NEVER PUT A PERSON WITH APHASIA UNDER PRESSURE TO FIND A WORD Sometimes the filing cabinet does not open NEVER PUT A PERSON WITH APHASIA UNDER PRESSURE TO FIND A WORD Why? When the person with aphasia is put on the spot to find a word

Why? NEVER CORRECT A PERSON WITH APHASIA Sometimes the filing cabinet does not open Why? NEVER CORRECT A PERSON WITH APHASIA When the person with aphasia is corrected by their Communication Partner

Why? DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF WHEN TIRED –DOESN’T HELP Sometimes the filing cabinet does not open Why? DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF WHEN TIRED –DOESN’T HELP When the person with aphasia is TIRED, EMOTIONAL, UPTIGHT

Sometimes the filing cabinet does not open

Some Solutions Small group conversations

1. Don’t avoid speaking to me Top tips from people with aphasia 1. Don’t avoid speaking to me 2. Don’t worry if you do not understand everything I want to say

3. Speak more slowly – but not as if to a child Top tips from people with aphasia 3. Speak more slowly – but not as if to a child 4. Get my attention first before you ask me something

5. Do not make me tell you something you already know… Top tips from people with aphasia 5. Do not make me tell you something you already know… not good communication! 6. Get my attention first before you ask me something

7. If it is nearly right –that is good enough. Top tips from people with aphasia 7. If it is nearly right –that is good enough. It is more important to get the gist of the communication 8. Relax and become good guessers! It is a communication partnership

9. Do not be hostile or judgemental Top tips from people with aphasia 9. Do not be hostile or judgemental 10.Allow me to use other ways to get my meaning across

People with aphasia are amazingly creative in getting their message across

I can guess the person is talking about their Cat I can guess that the person is talking about home I can guess that the person is talking about London

Some wonderful verbal strategies Run ins…………1,2,3………3 Using intonation and facial expression

Around your table: What do you think about the top tips? Add more tips for us to learn about

Brief Summary from each table

Aphasia / Dysphasia Thank you