Brooke Lang and Bill Connors will present a poster session at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Philadelphia PA USA on Friday, November 18, 2016 2-3:30 pm EST. The title is "Neuroplastic Mindfulness in Aphasia Recovery: Six Go-To Treatment Approaches."

Sentence Expansion has become a staple treatment and practice activity for aphasiatoolbox® SLPs, clients, and practice coaches. This activity incorporates language theory and clinical research on grammar and syntax.   Warming up with Verb Switch activity activates sentence assembly and varied verb usage in the mindful neuroplastic recovery program. Since the ability to converse is our client's goal, we always try to take this activity or a conversational, turn-taking exchange that we call a "conversational dyad."  

Bill Connors discusses: Sentence Expansion

 

Participants will be asked to fill out a survey online with the option to print a hardcopy or request a printed copy be sent by mail. A study information sheet, which describes the study, will also be provided to each participant at the beginning of the survey. Eligibility to complete the survey is a diagnosis of aphasia or being a caregiver of a person with aphasia. The cause of aphasia may include, but is not limited to, stroke, head injury, or infection. Participants with aphasia must be older adults age 65 or above and able to complete the survey independently or with assistance for reading comprehension, visual impairments, or upper limb impairments. A caregiver will be eligible if he or she currently is or has been a caregiver of an older adult with aphasia. This survey is brief to complete. 

This survey is brief to complete  and all responses are anonymous;  no identifiable information will be collected from the survey respondents. There are separate surveys for people with aphasia and their caregivers.

The online surveys can be viewed at:

Aphasia Edu Survey_Aphasia

Link:  https://redcap.midwestern.edu/surveys/?s=3kizFHwYGW

Aphasia Edu Survey_Caregiver

Link: https://redcap.midwestern.edu/surveys/?s=IMzYB4f7eG

   

Their highly-interactive presentation for SLPs shared innovative treatment protocols, materials and technology-based tools that enhanced clinical skills and assisted in the integration of existing scientific evidence and patient values into aphasia rehabilitation. The use of mindfulness techniques to mitigate aphasia stress was introduced and practiced. The presentation format  included: lecture, discussion, telepractice, actual client demonstration, and very active attendee participation.

Comments by SLP participants:
"  Thank you so much;  I am integrating your concepts into my aphasia treatment, particularly focusing on the underlying language components and teaching mindfulness."   

1.  How To Be An Optimum Ager: Keeping Your Brain In Shape As You Get Older

Neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change with new learning/experiences) persists throughout the lifespan making it possible for people of all ages to strengthen their cognitive abilities.

2. Helping Them Hold On

Phased treatment enables clients with primary progressive aphasia to function as normally as possible-for as long as they can.

3.  Unique Northwestern program helps lawyer fighting to keep ability to speak
Bob Caughey still goes to his law office most mornings, after he's fed his sheep and eaten his Raisin Bran, but the job is no longer the same.   ( Primary Progressive Aphasia)

4. Customizing Treatment for Bilingual Speakers With Aphasia

Bilingual clients with aphasia need clinicians to incorporate individually tailored bilingualism principles into rehabilitation.

5.  Johns Hopkins researchers identify protein that triggers brain cell death from strokes and injuries

Despite their different triggers, the same molecular chain of events appears to be responsible for brain cell death from strokes, injuries and even such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have pinpointed the protein at the end of that chain of events, one that delivers the fatal strike by carving up a cell's DNA. The find, they say, potentially opens up a new avenue for the development of drugs to prevent, stop or weaken the process.

6.  Brain Imaging Could Predict Aphasia Post-Stroke

Brain mapping after a stroke could help determine if a patient will have language deficits-and how severe they will be-suggests new research from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the University of South Carolina.

7.  Women, minorities less likely to receive stroke treatment, study finds

Women and minorities may be less likely to receive treatment for stroke, according to a study published in the September 14, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

8.  Strong Patient Demand for Telehealth Motivated by Convenience  

The convenience factor is a major driver for patients investigating the use of telehealth to consult with their providers, according to a survey by the American Telemedicine Association and WEGO Health. 

9.  What is Telepractice?

Telepractice is the application of telecommunications technology to the delivery of speech language pathology and audiology professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client/patient or clinician to clinician for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation.

Event Update:

Due to Hurricane Matthew, the National Stroke Association made the decision to cancel the

Comeback Trail 5K in Fort Lauderdale on Oct. 8.  The NSA shares your disappointment!   The NSA is  committed to hosting the Comeback Trail in Fort Lauderdale in 2017, along with these other locations: Washington D.C., Chicago, Nashville, Denver, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Long Island, NY.