Living with Aphasia

Gill PearlSpeech and Language Therapist

Chief executive Officer,

Speakeasy, Bury

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What will we talk about?• Aphasia – what is it?

• Small group discussions –how you

cope, what can help – hints and tips

• Where to find out more

• Aphasia Awareness Month in June

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What is Aphasia?• Language disorder

(communication disability)

• Caused by

….damage to the language

centres of the brain

….from stroke, head injury, brain

tumour, neurological conditions

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Aphasia can affect • speech

• understanding

• reading

• writing

• using numbers and money

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The stroke can also affect…

• Memory

• Paying attention and concentrating

• Planning things

• Dealing with noise

• Overload

• Changes in emotions

Aphasia affects so many aspects of life

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The list is endless…

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Getting on with lifeThere is the aphasia – each person is different

We each have a different approach to it

- How we use our skills

- How we get around our challenges

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People with Aphasia say…

• Reduce distractions, make eye contact

• Ask what helps

• Speak clearly

• Use short sentences

• Write key words

• Draw, use pictures or gestures

• Allow time for a response

• Check we both understand

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Stella’s Top Tips• Practise your words

• Use facial expression and

gesture

• Meet other people

• Carry a card to explain aphasia

• Be positive

• Don’t give up

• Look after yourself

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Janet’s tipWord finding difficulty

Agree with Mum

- how long to keep trying to find the word

before helping out.

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Phillip’s tip

wife had difficulty following the TV

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Phillip’s tipUsed the live pause button

• ask about what she had just

heard with no noise in the

background

• rewind and see it again

• think about things and make

sense of them

• rest

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Learn from each other

Talk about

• Tips and ways of coping that

help with your challenges

• Be positive

Write it on the flipchart paper

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Share your ideas

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Where to find help

Stroke Association

• Website stroke.org.uk

• Helpline 0303 3033 100

• mystrokeguide.org (on-line community and information resource)

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Where to find help

• AphasiaAlliance.org – informal group of UK

organisations supporting people with aphasia –

links from Website

• Aphasiasoftwarefinder.org – information

about software and Apps for people with

aphasia

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Aphasia Awareness Month• June

• Help to give out campaign

postcards – available from

exhibition and Melanie

• Share the postcard on

Facebook

• Share the postcard and

follow on Twitter - #Aphasia

Thank you

Gill Pearl

Email – office@buryspeakeasy.org.uk

Call - 01706 825802