Aphasia Recovery takes Time - Progress is Slow

My apologies.  I have not submitted an article since September 2010.  I had a baby in October and have been a full time mom for the last 4 months.  My time has been busy, but fun.  Now, I am back to work.

As I watch my baby develop, I am reminded of how slow progress is.  I don't notice change on a daily basis.  I realize that my baby is developing, but I cannot tell what progress is made from one day to the next.

Recovery from Aphasia is the same way.  Progress takes time. 

I think the older we get the more we forget how long it takes us as infants to develop into children and then into adults.  A stroke or brain injury robs a person of the vital, basic skills that took so long to develop.

We want the Aphasia to be gone and to be back to 'normal' quickly.  In most cases, that goal is next to impossible. 

If you or someone you know is recovering from Aphasia, please know that progress takes time and is a great deal easier with lots of love and encouragement.

Two Great Magazines for Stroke Survivors

Please forgirve me if I insult your intelligence by stating the obvious, but I want to tell you about two great magazines for Stroke Survivors. 

Stroke Smart is a great magazine published by the National Stroke Associaton.  The subscription is a free one for United States residents.  Simply go to http://www.strokesmart.org/ and click on Subscribe. 

Stroke Connection is another great magazine published by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.  Again, the subscription is free.  Go to http://www.strokeassociation.org/ and follow the instructions on how to Subscribe. 

Both magazines are filled with stroke survivor stories, tips for caregivers, product introductions, etc.  I find them to be very informative and helpful to stroke survivors and families.

I hope you find this helpful. 

Be Patient - Don't Frustrate the Person with Aphasia

Last week, I spoke to a woman with an adult son suffering from Aphasia.  He had a stroke about a year ago and had been living again with her and his father while continuing his recovery. 

The lady told me that her son wanted to move out because he couldn't stand to around her husband anymore.  The father frustrates the son on a daily basis by being impatient.  He won't let the son talk.  He tries (unsuccessfully, apparently) to finish the son's sentences.  The son just wants to recover.  He doesn't want therapy at home from his dad.

As a therapist, I hear similar stories more than I like.  If you want to support a person suffering from Aphasia, Let them talk.  I will repeat that, "Let them talk".  I know it sometimes takes a long time.  To be honest, sometimes it seems like it will take an eternity if you let the person finish a sentence. 

Be supportive.  Be attentive.  Learn to be a good listener.   Let them finish.  Don't frustrate them by trying to guess what they want to say.  Don't finish sentences for them.  Relax and listen.

We all want to communicate.  We all want to share and be heard.  Sometimes, the toughest thing a caregiver can do is Nothing. 

Listen more and you will be an even stronger support to your loved one with aphasia. 

Maintenance is Required

In today's disposable society, few people like to talk about maintenance. In a disposable world replacing things is easier than taking the time and spending the money to maintain them.

But some things in life are too important not to maintain.

If you are helping a person recovering from stroke or brain injury you need to realize that maintanence is required and vital to maximize recovery.

What do I mean?

After the chaos has ended and the reality of a different life has become common, holding on to who we are and what we do is important.  As part of the recovery process (whether speech, physical or occupational therapies) incorporate things that were important to the person before the stroke. 

I suggest bringing in photos, personal items, or other items of significance that can be used during the recovery process and will 'remind' the person of who they were and what they did prior to their current condition.

Maintenance of one's self will be required in order to get back to who and what a person was prior to their life changing event. 

These are my thoughts and suggestions.  Let me know what you think or if you have any comments. 

The Most Important Ingredients for Recovery

Last night I saw a former patient of mine. I was at a restaurant with my husband when an attractive young man made his way to my table. At first I did not recognize him. Then, I realized that in 2003, I had helped in his recovery. What a difference 6 years has made in his life. He showed no signs of his past struggles.
In 2003 I first met him in an acute care facility. He had suffered a tramautic brain injury and had a myriad of problems. He was in a veiled bed when I first met him. Basically, that is a bed enclosed by a net so the person cannot get out of bed and harm themselves.
During the course of the next several months he was at our facility he made a lot of progress. I actually fed him his first meal (pureed food) after his accident. When he left our facility he still had lots of work to do. Honestly, I felt he would never be the same. When he left our medical center he could barely hold his head up, but his time was "up".
Last night, he was at the restaurant with his mother. They told me of the struggles of the past 6 years and his courageous efforts to continue to make progress. He told me the key ingredients to his recovery.
1. Family Support. Without the constant encouragement, love and support of his family, he would not have continued to do all of the hard, "boring" therapies.
2. Belief he would get better. This ingredient goes hand in hand with the first one. His family sincerely believed that he would get better. They never gave up! They told me of the various facilities and home health care agents they had experienced through the years. They always were looking for solutions.
If you have a loved one that is recovering from a stroke or brain injury, please understand that the role you play is a very vital one.
If you need more Aphasia Therapy for Expressive Aphasia, go to my website www.communicationpartner.com. We produce Aphasia Therapy on DVDs that can be used at home independently or in conjunction with a speech therapist.