Clinical Use and New Developments Sally Boa Research Speech and Language Therapist University of Stirling Forth Valley NHS

Talking Mats

Developed in 1998 University of Stirling Used both in applied and research contexts Used locally, nationally and internationally

Prerequisites Physical vision pointing method Cognitive Symbolic understanding Understand 2 key words in 1 sentence reliable confirmation

Examples of Client Groups Children with language disorders - expressing their views People with intellectual disability - life planning Frail older people Adults with acquired communication disability - goal planning Young offenders - communication difficulties Making decisions about non-oral eating and drinking

Adults with acquired communication disability Goal setting World Health Organisation (2001) ICF: International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Geneva: WHO

Goal Setting

WHO domains (Activities & Participation) Learning & applying Knowledge General tasks and demands Communication Mobility Self-care Domestic life Interpersonal interactions and relationships Major life areas (e.g. work, education) Community, social and civic life

Talking Mats -Topics  Applying knowledge  Emotional well being  Communication  Mobility /Transport  Self care  Domestic life  Relationships  Work and education  Leisure  Environment  Health

Sub categories  Washing  Having a bath  Showering  Getting dressed  Fastenings  Washing hair  Eating  Drinking  Cutting up food

Goal setting - general topics

Sub mat - Communication

Tracking changes

Quotes “So this kind of explains what the rehab team do and what rehabilitation is practically. I didn’t know, for example, that it [the service] was so wide. I didn’t know that A would be taking me out, for example, and getting me used to the train the shops and people………”

“I suppose it is like anything that you are asked to write or any question you asked is like a blank sheet of paper and for me with speech difficulties it is easier to work with ideas than come up with your own.”

Non-oral eating and drinking

Meetings

Why Talking Mats works Structured format to interaction Open questions Avoids direct confrontation Time Small chunks helps people process concepts reduces memory demands Multiple channels Ownership Gives people control Reduces physical demands Helps people to say “no”

New developments Training - general or targeted Talking Mats manual Symbol sets Further research

References Murphy J (2004) Enabling Frail Older People with a Communication Difficulty to Express their Views: the use of Talking Mats™ as an interview tool Health and Social Care in the Community 13 (2) Enabling Frail Older People with a Communication Difficulty to Express their Views: the use of Talking Mats™ as an interview tool Cameron L, Watson J and Murphy (2004) Talking Mats: A focus group tool for people with learning disability. Communication Matters 18 (1) Boa S and MacFadyen L (2003) Goal Setting for People with Communication Difficulites. Communication Matters 17 (3) Boa, S and Murphy, J (2003) Talking Mats™- An overview of current developments. Communicating with pictures and symbols - Augmentative Communication in Practice Study Day Murphy, J, McCallan S and Aitken J (2003) Helping People make decisions about PEG Feeding Bulletin of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists No. 618 Cameron, L and Murphy, J (2002) Enabling young people with a learning disability to make choices at a time of transition, British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30: World Health Organisation (2001) ICF: International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Geneva: WHO