In this episode of Brain Friends, we discuss language assessments used in individuals with aphasia and acquired communication disorders.

Angie shares the benefits and challenges in completing language assessments and which type of assessment is beneficial to recovery.

Dr. Seles discusses the difference between impairment-based tests like the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and participation-based tests like the Communication Activities of Daily Living (CADL).

Together we discuss the importance of quality-of-life assessments and how aphasia impacts cognition. Finally, Dr. Seles shares 3 tips for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) to help survivors navigate low social support and quality of life.

In this episode of Brain Friends, we share a behind-the-scenes conversation between Angie and Dr. Seles on Anomia. Together we weigh the benefits of recognizing the different types of Anomia and the challenges with diagnosis.

Anomia is a fluent aphasia characterized by word-finding difficulty or the inability to name objects.

Should we classify Anomia differently? What can Speech-Language Pathologists and researchers do to better help survivors with Anomia?

In this episode of Brain Friends, we discuss 5 ways everyone can contribute to health equity for Black people with aphasia. We give resources for caregivers to get compensated and encourage speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to support health literacy in clients.

1. Implicit Bias Training- to help practitioners recognize stereotypical beliefs that contribute to health inequities.

2. Workforce Diversity- may help clients with communication and participation in research by having practitioners who look like them.

3. Representation in Research- helps ensure generalization of findings and that all voices are included. http://www.aphasiaresource.org/ Also, how are researchers sharing clinical findings? How many researchers have collected data from participants, published the findings, and gone back to the participants to share their study results?

4. Health Literacy- helps individuals understand medical information to make an informed decision. It is important to encourage care partners and provide disability resources that compensate the caregiver https://www.usa.gov/disability-caregiver

5. Patient Reported Outcomes- helps give people with aphasia a voice in therapy by sharing goals that are important to the individual. Patient-reported outcomes can be challenging to read and should be diversified with large print, pictures, audio versions, or available on assistive devices.

In this episode of Brain Friends, we invite two stakeholders to celebrate Aphasia Awareness Month, Maura Silverman, the executive director of the National Aphasia Association (NAA), and Gee Jackson, a lawyer and stroke survivor with aphasia.

Together we answer two important questions:
1. What do you know about aphasia now that you wish you would have known on day 1?
2. How can we bring awareness to aphasia?

Listen, laugh, and learn how you can spread awareness about aphasia.

Links:
National Aphasia Association- https://aphasia.org/
Aphasia Resource Collaboration Hub (ARCH)- https://aphasiaresource.org/

Does it take a village to recover from a stroke? In this episode of Brain Friends, we talk about aphasia support with Angie's care partner Kiehl Cauthorn.

We discuss the difference between caregivers and care partners, the stages of care in post-stroke aphasia, and advocacy with insurance companies. We give tips to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and other practitioners on how to include the caregiver/care partner in therapy.

Finally, we remind aphasia survivors that "you are better today than you were yesterday and you will be better tomorrow than you are today". We encourage caregivers and care partners to "stop, listen, be patient, and trust".

In this episode of Brain Friends, we explore primary progressive aphasia or PPA.

Dr. Seles unravels the complexities of PPA versus other aphasia types and describes the difference between a stroke and frontal temporal dementia.

Angie shares analogies highlighting the key differences from other forms of aphasia.

The impact of PPA on individuals, their families, and communities is ongoing.

This episode of Brain Friends is a must-listen for survivors, students, and health professionals.

In this episode of Brain Friends, we discuss reading and writing difficulties that can co-occur with aphasia. "Alexia" is an acquired reading disorder with difficulty seeing and reading words or understanding the meaning of written words. "Agraphia" is the loss of a previous ability to write.

Angie discovers new terms related to her aphasia and the connection in the brain.

Dr. Seles shares clinical stories on navigating alexia in therapy and the role speech-language pathologists play in helping survivors reintegrate into the community.

In this episode of Brain Friends, we invite Dr. Roy Hamilton, Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of Penn’s Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation (LCNS), for a part 2 discussion on Neuroplasticity.

We begin with the fundamental concept that brains are plastic and designed to change based on experience. Dr. Roy shares how the quality of care in recovery will help language get stronger or activities become easier because the brain reorganizes and adapts also known as "neuroplasticity".

Angie shares analogies that translate brain injury to neuroplasticity like “water on the motherboard”. Dr. Seles seeks tips on how practitioners can help with neuroplasticity in neurorehabilitation.

Finally, we discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in research, research staff, and publications.


Dr. Roy Hamilton, link to the LCNS website and the email associated with the LCNS.

https://www.med.upenn.edu/lcns/

braintms@mail.med.upenn.edu

Aphasia Resources
https://aphasiaresource.org/