When words don't come easy

Some disabilities are obvious right away. Someone using a wheelchair or walking using a white cane definitely lets you immediately what his or her challenges are. But, what about people who cannot express themselves in language?

Studies of stroke survivors suggest that between 18% and 38% may have a language problem caused by an injury to the brain. Stroke survivors with aphasia may have trouble speaking, reading, writing or understanding the speech of others.

Jan Roadhouse, a speech language pathologist at the Brant Community Healthcare System stresses that recognizing the symptoms early enough is a key element to getting the right treatment. She says, “Because it is related to stroke the condition is often diagnosed during hospital care.”

Early recognition is essential. In the past when a person became unable to communicate, health care workers often thought patients had cognitive impairment, not realizing that these patients were able to think clearly but had difficulty expressing their thoughts.

Today, thanks to better education and un-ending advocacy groups like the Aphasia Institute the barriers to treatment are slowly being broken down. The Institute has been active in educating and advocating for 20- years now. Better, evidence-based knowledge is now more accessible by frontline workers.

Jan has worked with aphasia patients at the Brant Community Healthcare System for about two decades now. Her passion stems from her early frustration with the lack of support available for people with aphasia at the time. “Every time I would discharge a person with aphasia, I felt like I was sending them home to an armchair,” she says. “Without support it is very difficult to integrate back into the community.”

Along with Stephen Goff, who has aphasia, Jan offers daylong training sessions for caregivers who work with aphasia patients. Stephen is one of the regular presenters, and Jan also relies on other volunteers with aphasia who want to contribute to the educational cause. She says, “People with aphasia know more than they can say and successful conversation often depends on the skill of the communication partner.”

Often there are nurses, therapists, personal support workers, discharge planners and social workers from throughout the hospital in Jan's classes. One participant, after one of the educational training session said, “Having the opportunity to share in Stephen's experience exemplifies how well you can communicate with someone with aphasia- just how positive the experience would be.”

The attendance of the social workers in the sessions is very important according to Jan since depression and isolation are very common after aphasia. Although some people do regain their speech after a period of time, not all are able to. In these cases successful communication depends on using alternative means of communication and having a conversation partner who understands aphasia.

Most of all, it is important to be aware that someone with aphasia can still think clearly. They just have difficulty expressing themselves.

Jan uses an analogy to help point out their need for accessibility efforts saying, “In the same way a person with a wheelchair would get a physical ramp, those with aphasia need ‘communication ramps.'”

When you think about it Jan is her own communication ramp: giving aphasia patients their voice back.

Gary Chalk is senior executive director- public affairs & development for the Brant Community Healthcare System. Brantford General is a regional health centre providing primary, emergency and specialized services. The Willett, Paris, is a multi- service health centre providing urgent care, primary care and community outreach programs.