Aphasia NYC Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 13:25:00 +0000

First Meeting of Fall 2014!

IAM International Aphasia Movement

Tomorrow, Monday, September 8, 2014

IAM Mount Sinai Beth Israel

Aphasia Group

Meets 6pm -8pm

This Group will meet every other Monday from 6pm-8pm

All meetings are free to attend

Address of Mount Sinai Beth Israel:

10 Union Square South, NYC

16 Street West and Park Avenue

Aphasia- Tues.11-27and Thurs.11-29

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:21:00 +0000

REMINDER

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

"Helping people recover communication and speech after a stroke or TBI"

IAM / ICD Aphasia Therapy Program

will be meeting on

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27th

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29th

From 5 - 7pm

All are welcome, Co-Survivors are urged to attend.

This is a free Aphasia Therapy Program and meets every Tuesday and Thursday

ICD is located at

340 East 24th Street and First Avenue, NYC

Any questions contact:

Harvey Alter, Tel. 212-217-2610

aphasiamovement@aol.com

National Stork Association Virtual Lobby Days until June 29

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:44:00 +0000

The National Stroke Association is asking for people to sign a petition by June 29 to support laws that will help stroke survivors, co-survivors, and those who care for them. They are supporting 4 pieces of legislation.

To sign the petition, go to https://secure2.convio.net/nsa/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=155

1. Repeal the caps on Medicare therapy services, and continue the extension process until that occurs.
The Medicare caps limited the amount of rehabilitation services that people dependent on Medicare could receive. Patients were limited to $1200 a year for both speech therapy and physical therapy. Can you imagine having to choose between walking and talking?
Private insurance followed the example of the government, and also limited they amount they paid for rehabilitation.
The extension process was a way to provide more therapy to those with the severest disability. This process helped, but the difficulty with getting reimbursement and the continued uncertainty about reimbursement caused many providers to simply close their doors.

2. Support respite care services. Respite care services provide occasional breaks for caregivers - to take an a few hours or a few days off when they need it. Being a caregiver 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year is physically and emotionally exhausting. Many caregivers are seniors with their own health problems. Even if they receive help the physical care, there is still the need to be on "alert" all the time. I personally knew two caregivers who had heart attacks because of stress and fatigue. Most caregivers are reluctant to leave their loved ones even for a short time, but they should be able to do it if their own health requires it.

3. Support National Aphasia Awareness Month - aphasia is the "silent" disability. Many people do not know what aphasia is, and shun people with aphasia. National Aphasia Awareness Month helps raise public awareness.

4. Reduce health disparities. Stroke is more likely to affect women, African-Americans, and Mexican-Americans. More research to prevent and treat strokes would improve health care for all.

To sign the petition, go to https://secure2.convio.net/nsa/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=155

American Speech Language Hearing Association Features Aphasia

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 02:31:00 +0000

http://www.asha.org/leader.aspx

The June 5 issue of ASHA Leader features Gabby Giffords, the Arizona Congresswoman who has aphasia after being shot in the head.

http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2012/120605/Giffords-Comes-Home-to-Aphasia-Treatment.htm

The same issue has an article about Melodic Intonation Therapy, or "singing therapy".
http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2012/120605/Getting-in-Tune-With-Clients-With-Aphasia/

There is also an article about aphasia peer mentors, a person who has had aphasia for a long time who provides support to a person who has suffered aphasia recently.

http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2012/120605/If-I-Can-Talk-You-Can-Talk.htm

During "Better Speech and Hearing Month", we salute all the dedicated professionals who help people with aphasia regain their ability to communicate.

The NAA's Summer/Fall 2011 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:50:00 +0000

The National Aphasia Association's

Summer/Fall 2011 Newsletter

Dear Adam,

As both our minds and the weather slowly shift from summer breezes to the slight chill of Fall, the NAA has managed to blend the two seasons easily with the arrival of our Summer/Fall 2011 Newsletter!

Along with the warm, comforting staples of our Group of the Month and incoming mail, we would like to direct your focus to the especially refreshing re-cap of our National Aphasia Awareness Month events, as well as a special article about Cyber Safety. But don't worry - it doesn't just end there! As always, our newsletter is full of surprises and news that will touch all of your emotions, and we are happy to share it all with you.

In order to begin reading the newsletter, please click here or paste www.aphasia.org/docs/Newsletters/Summer_Fall_2011_Newsletter.pdf into your web browser.

The NAA is also delighted to let you know that 2012 will be our 25th Anniversary - stay tuned for exciting news about how we will be celebrating!

Sincerely,

Ellayne Ganzfried, Executive Director

The National Aphasia Association

MUSIC FALL WORKSHOPS

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:54:00 +0000

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

We are very proud to be associated with the

Institute for Music and Neurological Function (IMNF) and their

Community Wellness Series.

FallWorkshops.pdf

Please read the attached flyer and join them in this music activity.

MUSIC HAS POWER

Sincerely,

Harvey Alter

International Aphasia Movement

APHASIA GROUP OPENS TUES 9/13

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:14:00 +0000

THE INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

ANNOUNCES THE BEGINING OF OUR FALL SEASON

On September 13, 2011 from 5 - 7 PM.

We will begin the 2011 - 2012 season with our first group at

ICD, Center for Speech.

This is a free session.

We will have 5 new Graduate Clinicians

though our relationship with Western Kentucky University

and under the supervision of our licensed Senior Supervisor, Lauren Boykin.

The address of the ICD is on the corner of 24th Street and First Avenue in NYC.

As this is our opening session, we look forward to seeing all of our old friends and new friends.

Co-Survivors are always urged to attend.

Any questions or concerns should be addressed by contacting:

Harvey Alter

telephone: 212-217-2610

or by email at aphasiamovent@aol.com

My battle to overcome a stroke

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:27:00 +0000

by TESSA CUNNINGHAM, Daily Mail

Lord Rogers

Last October, Lord Rodgers, 73, was forced to resign the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords after suffering a stroke five months earlier.

With extraordinary courage, he is battling aphasia, a serious language disorder brought on by the stroke.

Bill Rodgers, who has three daughters, Rachel, 44, Lucy, 42, and Juliet, 41, lives in London with his wife Silvia, 73.

Here, he talks about the fight to regain his health.

The consultant was looking at me patiently. 'Can you tell me your name?' he asked. I opened my mouth but the words wouldn't come. It was like struggling to recall the name of a stranger.

Did it begin with an A or a B? Was it short or long? I simply couldn't remember. Where my name should have been, there was just one big hole.

Hours earlier, I had suffered a stroke. And, as I have discovered since, the path back to recovery is extremely slow. Although I have been very lucky in that my physical abilities are unimpaired, I have been left with aphasia - a serious disorder of language which makes simple tasks like writing down a telephone number or reading a newspaper extremely difficult.

The moment that changed my life was utterly mundane. It was 11.30pm on Monday, May 7, last year - a Bank Holiday - and I was sitting up in bed, drinking a cup of warm milk. Without any warning, the mug slipped out of my hand and crashed to the floor.

'How strange,' I thought. 'The handle must have broken.' But, when I looked down, I saw the mug was intact.

After that, everything passed in an almost dreamlike way. I tried telling my wife that something terrible had happened - I didn't then realise it was a stroke - but the only words that came out were gobbledygook. Poor Silvia was looking at me with great alarm.

I assumed I was going to die. It seemed an extraordinary prospect but, strangely, I wasn't scared. I was just curious, thinking: 'Is this really it? Is this what it's like to die?'

I was lucky because my stroke was a relatively mild one. Silvia called an ambulance and I was rushed to London's Royal Free Hospital.

The next few hours are a jumble. I remember I was asked my name and my date of birth. Strangely, although I couldn't remember my name for a few minutes, my date of birth came out in a huge rush: '28.10.28.'

Then I went to sleep - for 12 solid hours. My family had been told that time would be crucial. I might have another stroke or, if luck was on my side, I might start recovering chunks of what had disappeared.

I was extremely fortunate. When I finally woke, my body was working perfectly.

But I was soon to discover that simple tasks I'd taken for granted, such as answering the phone easily, enjoying a dinner party conversation and even buying a pint of milk, were now monumentally difficult.

The next day I remember sitting in bed carefully writing down the names of my six grandchildren. Laboriously, I worked them all out, starting with my eldest granddaughter: Laura, Milly, Jake, Alexander and Isabel. The only name I struggled with was Tom. I was convinced it began with a 'C'.When I finally got it, I shouted it out I was so pleased.

I spent four days in the Royal Free Hospital before being transferred to a special neurological hospital for another nine days.

The doctors there carried out a run of tests and assessments to see how much my brain had been damaged, and monitored my progress to be sure I was well enough to send home.

Once home, I imagined I would carry on improving by leaps and bounds. However, the process of getting back to full health has taken much, much longer than I expected. It has tested my patience and confidence to the limits and put a massive strain on my family.

Last October, I realized I had to resign. I remember writing out a letter, putting down my thoughts. I had to work really hard to get the words and the grammar correct. I knew then that I couldn't possibly go on.

I started speech therapy classes as soon as I left hospital and still attend every fortnight.

Every evening I edit pieces of writing, ensuring that I get the grammar correct, or I tape myself talking. When I play my speech back, I check I am making sense and not muddling my words.

Spelling has never been my strong suit - in fact, I was such a poor speller that at school I deliberately affected virtually illegible handwriting to disguise any flaws.

I think one of the characteristics of aphasia is that weaknesses are exaggerated. So now my

Bill and his wife
Silvia

spelling and grammar are extremely shaky.

In fact, I have had to relearn English grammar totally. I've had to rediscover how to use subordinate clauses, even where to put verbs - all the things my 13-year-old granddaughter, Laura, is conversant with. It really has been like going back to school.

My speech therapist is brilliant, but it's shattered my confidence and tested my patience.

Although my long-term memory has been unaffected, my short-term memory is very poor.

I can't keep complicated arguments in my head or marshal elaborate sentences. Sometimes I'll forget what I've just said. It's very frustrating.

Telephone conversations are extremely difficult, too. For the first few months, I could talk only to close friends on the phone. Being involved in an unexpected conversation, having to think on my feet and, most of all, having to provide or take down a phone number, were all too much for me.

Even now, I can still get thrown by the unexpected.

In April, I made my first speech in the House of Lords since my stroke. It was a shocking experience. My argument evaporated. It was like driving through impenetrable fog. I had totally lost the thread.

As the pressure built, I felt more and more confused. When I finally sat down, nobody said a word. I felt awful.

Yet the bizarre thing is that when I finally asked a colleague how it had gone, he told me the speech was fine. To reassure me, he suggested I watch it on video - something I didn't even know was possible.

Sure enough, the speech did not look half as bad as I feared. In fact, I noticed only one mistake in my text.

I still don't know what caused the stroke. The doctors can't explain it, although there seems to be anecdotal evidence that you're more prone to a stroke if you're under stress.

I was under a lot of stress at that time. I had been very worried about Silvia, who had spent the previous month in hospital after being diagnosed with cancer. And I had taken on extra responsibilities at work because a colleague was ill.

I am confident I will recover fully - but it takes all my patience and strength of will to keep going. I've been told to take time and rest a lot, but I don't want to waste my life. There's so much left still to do.

The charity Speakability runs an information helpline for aphasia sufferers, freephone 080 8808 9572, and supports a network of self-help groups, tel: 020 7261 9572. The lines are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Subtypes of progressive aphasia: application of the international consensus criteria and validation using β-amyloid imaging

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Primary progressive aphasia comprises a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative conditions with diverse clinical profiles and underlying pathological substrates. A major development has been the publication of the recent International Consensus Criteria for the three major variants namely: semantic, non-fluent/agrammatic and logopenic. The logopenic variant is assumed to represent an atypical presentation of Alzheimer pathology although evidence for this is, at present, limited. The semantic and non-fluent/agrammatic variants are largely associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 and tau pathology, respectively. The applicability of the International Consensus Criteria to an unselected clinical sample is unknown and no agreed clinical evaluation scale on which to derive the diagnosis exists. We assessed 47 consecutive cases of primary progressive aphasic seen over a 3-year period in a specialist centre, using a newly developed progressive aphasia language scale. A subgroup of 30 cases underwent ¹¹C-labelled Pittsburgh Compound B positron emission tomography imaging, a putative biomarker of Alzheimer's disease that detects β-amyloid accumulation, and they were compared with an age-matched group (n = 10) with typical, predominately amnestic Alzheimer's disease. The application of an algorithm based on four key speech and language variables (motor speech disorders, agrammatism, single-word comprehension and sentence repetition) classified 45 of 47 (96%) of patients and showed high concordance with the gold standard expert clinical diagnosis based on the International Consensus Criteria. The level of neocortical β-amyloid burden varied considerably across aphasic variants. Of 13 logopenic patients, 12 (92%) had positive β-amyloid uptake. In contrast, one of nine (11%) semantic variant and two of eight (25%) non-fluent/agrammatic cases were positive. The distribution of β-amyloid across cortical regions of interest was identical in cases with the logopenic variant to that of patients with typical Alzheimer's disease although the total load was lower in the aphasic cases. Impairments of sentence repetition and sentence comprehension were positively correlated with neocortical burden of β-amyloid, whereas impaired single-word comprehension showed a negative correlation. The International Consensus Criteria can be applied to the majority of cases with primary progressive aphasic using a simple speech and language assessment scale based upon four key variables. β-amyloid imaging confirms the higher rate of Alzheimer pathology in the logopenic variant and, in turn, the low rates in the other two variants. The study offers insight into the biological basis of clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease, which appear topographically independent of β-amyloid load.

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT (New Schedule)

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:53:00 +0000

International Aphasia Movement (IAM)

Schedule of Programs 2011-2012

All programs are free of charge and will be taught by graduate clinicans

under the supervision of licensed and qualified clinical staff and faculty.

IAM/ ICD Aphasia Program

ICD Center for Speech/ Language/ Learning and Hearing

340 East 24th Street and First Avenue, NYC

Beginning September 13, 2011, (Operates every Tuesday and Thursday 5 - 7 PM)

IAM/ Beth Israel Aphasia Program

Beth Israel Hospital

10 Union Square, NYC

Beginning Monday October 3. (Selected Mondays from 6 PM - 8 PM)

Monday, October 3, 31

Monday, November 14, 28

Monday, December 12

Monday, January 9,23, 2012

Monday, February 6

Monday, March 5, 19

Monday, April 2,16,30

Monday, May 14

Monday, June 4, 18

IAM/ Saint Luke's in the Fields Aphasia Program

Hudson Street between Christopher Street and Grove Street in the Village, NYC

This program offers a complimentary Breakfast and Lunch

Beginning Saturday, October 15, 2011

Saturday, October 22

Saturday, November 19

Saturday, December 10

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Saturday, February 25

Saturday, March 17

Saturday, April 28

Saturday, May 26

Saturday, June 9

Columbia University Teacher's College / IAM Aphasia Program

Department of Biobehavioral Sciences

525 West 120th Street, NYC

Macy Hall 101

This program offers a complimentary Light Breakfast and Lunch

This program begins Saturday, October 1, 2011

Further dates will be announced at the first meeting

You must have completed Columbia's Intake Package

For more information you may email us at aphasiamovemet@aol.com

or you may call us at Harvey Alter, 212-217-2610

APHASIA - SATURDAY OCTOBER 15 & 22, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:51:00 +0000

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

ADDITION OF OCTOBER 22 TO OUR SATURDAY SCHEDULE

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to inform you that we have been able to add October 22, 2011to our Saturday Schedule.

This means that we will have back to back sessions on Saturday,October 15th

and Saturday, October 22nd. This will be considered a make up session for Saturday, September 24th.

Instead of our September 24th opening date we will now consider

Saturday, October 15, 2001, our new opening date for the fall season.

With our second session being Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Both sessions are from 10 AM - 2 PM.

Our Saturday sessions will include a complimentary light Breakfast and Luncheon. We are telling you of this early enough that you may make plans to attend both sessions in October.

Sorry for the inconvenience this change might have caused you.

Regards,

Harvey Alter

President

International Aphasia Movement

CANCELLATION OF SATURDAY APHASIA GROUP

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:56:00 +0000

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

CANCELATION OF SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Dear Friends,

We have just learned that our first Saturday Meeting scheduled for Saturday, September 24, 2001 has been canceled by the Church due to unforeseen circumstances involved with a Memorial Service of one of the Church Parishioners.

The next scheduled meeting at the Church will be onSaturday, October 15, 2011. The Church is reviewing it's schedule to give us a make up date to replace the cancellation.

This may be on Saturday, October 22, 2011 and we will tell you as soon as we know.

I know how disappointed you all must feel. Both our Supervisors and Students have adjusted their schedules to be with us for what was to be our Opening Session for the Fall Season. On behalf of IAM we are sorry for this inconvenience.

We will tell you of a make up date as soon as possible.

Harvey Alter

President

International Aphasia Movement

165 Christopher Street Suite 2 D

New York, NY 10014

USA

Tel: 212-217-2610

fax: 212-924-4007

FREE IAM APHASIA SCHEDULE 2011-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:50:00 +0000

International Aphasia Movement (IAM)

Schedule of Programs 2011-2012

All programs are free of charge and will be taught by graduate clinicans

under the supervision of licensed and qualified clinical staff and faculty.

IAM/ ICD Aphasia Program

ICD Center for Speech/ Language/ Learning and Hearing

340 East 24th Street and First Avenue, NYC

Beginning September 13, 2011, (Operates every Tuesday and Thursday 5 - 7 PM)

IAM/ Beth Israel Aphasia Program

Beth Israel Hospital

10 Union Square, NYC

Beginning Monday October 3. (Selected Mondays from 6 PM - 8 PM)

Monday, October 3, 31

Monday, November 14, 28

Monday, December 12

Monday, January 9,23, 2012

Monday, February 6

Monday, March 5, 19

Monday, April 2,16,30

Monday, May 14

Monday, June 4, 18

IAM/ Saint Luke's in the Fields Aphasia Program

Hudson Street between Christopher Street and Grove Street in the Village, NYC

This program offers a complimentary Breakfast and Lunch

Beginning Saturday, September 24, from 10 AM to 2 PM

Saturday, October 15

Saturday, November 19

Saturday, December 10

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Saturday, February 25

Saturday, March 17

Saturday, April 28

Saturday, May 26

Saturday, June 9

Columbia University Teacher's College / IAM Aphasia Program

Department of Biobehavioral Sciences

525 West 120th Street, NYC

Macy Hall 101

This program offers a complimentary Light Breakfast and Lunch

This program begins Saturday, October 1, 2011

Further dates will be announced at the first meeting

You must have completed Columbia's Intake Package

For more information you may email us at aphasiamovemet@aol.com

or you may call us at Harvey Alter, 212-217-2610

FREE COLUMBIA APHASIA GROUP

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:30:00 +0000

SECOND NOTICE

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHER'S COLLEGE

In conjunction with

THE INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

will be starting a

FREE SATURDAY APHASIA PROGRAM

This will be taught be graduate clinicians under the supervision of licensed and qualified clinical staff and faculty.

The program will begin on October 1, 2011 and will run from 10 AM - 2 PM.

Complimentary Light Breakfast and Lunch will be served.

This program will not conflict with other Saturday programs.

There will be a Co-Survivors Group meeting simultaneously.

To be considered for this program, you must fill out certain information that

Columbia University requires.

If you interested in becoming a member, please indicate such by sending

an email to:

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

at Aphasiamovement@aol.com

Forms will be sent to you and must be completed and returned by the US Mail to:

Harvey Alter

President

International Aphasia Movement

165 Christopher Street Suite 2D

New York, NY 10014

REMINDER - TUESDAY APHASIA ICD 5 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:06:00 +0000

REMINDER

ICD - CENTER FOR SPEECH/LANGUAGE,

LEARNING and HEARING

and the

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

SPONSOR THE

APHASIA / STROKE GROUP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011

AND EVERY TUESDAY

5 PM - 7PM

Dr. Dorothy Ross will conduct a Discussion Group that deals with Aphasia and Stroke and many other topics that are important to Survivors and Co-Survivors

In the Cafeteria

The address of ICD is:
340 East 24th Street
New York, NY, 10010
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS CONTACT:
Dr. Dorothy Ross at 347-247-5245

or Harvey Alter at 212-217-2610

or email us at aphasiamovement@aol.com

MEETS EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT

ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE

CO-SURVIVORS ARE ALWAYS WECOME

COLUMBIA & IAM APHASIA PROGRAM REGISTRATION

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:01:00 +0000

Columbia University

in conjunction with

The International Aphasia Movement

We are pleased to send you the Columbia Teachers College Intake Forms. Attached are 3 forms required by Columbia. Please print these forms and then complete each form. Once you have completed each form, please mail them to:

Harvey Alter

International Aphasia Movement

165 Christopher Street Suite 2D

New York, NY 10014

Please write this address exactly as it is listed above. The Columbia University - International Aphasia Movement Aphasia Program will begin with its first session on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 10 AM to 2 PM.

The address is 120th Street and Broadway, 101 Macy Hall. Additional information will be forwarded to you upon receiving your completed Intake Package.

Questions and Concerns call: 212-217-2610 or you may write us at

Aphasiamovement@aol.com

ReleaseForm.doc

AdultIntakeForm.doc

MedicalReleaseForm.doc

Singing therapy helps stroke patients regain language…

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:45:00 +0000

SUSAN.GALBRAITH

– AUGUST 17, 2011POSTED IN: BLOG

Singing therapy helps stroke patients regain language!

Part 1
BRAIN

February 22, 2010|By Elizabeth Landau, CNN

When mothers speak to children, it’s often in a singsong tone. That’s no coincidence, scientists say, given that music and language are so intricately linked in the brain.

Scientists are using this fundamental connection between song and speech to treat patients who have lost their ability to communicate. There’s evidence that music can be used to help people with severe brain impairments learn how to speak again, scientists said over the weekend at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, are treating stroke patients who have little or no spontaneous speech by associating melodies with words and phrases.

“Music, and music-making, is really a very special form of a tool or an intervention that can be used to treatneurological disorders, said Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, associate professor of neurology at Beth Israel and Harvard University. “There’s rarely any other activity that could really activate or engage this many regions of the brain that is experienced as being a joyous activity.”

There are between 750,000 and 800,000 strokes per year in the United States, and about 200,000 of them result in a kind of language disorder called aphasia, he said. About one-third of those patients have aphasia so severe that they become non-fluent, meaning about 60,000 to 70,000 patients per year could benefit from the music therapy.

It is being scientifically explored only at Beth Israel, but there are speech therapists throughout the United States who are using some kind of music treatment. About 25 to 30 patients have been described in published research papers, but there may be hundreds or thousands of others treated in nonscientific settings, Schlaug said.

The left side of the brain plays a key role in speech and language ability. But the right side of the brain has the capability to become enhanced and change its structure to compensate for left-side deficits, researchers have found.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-22/health/aaas.music.language_1_stroke-patients-music-therapy-brain?_s=PM:HEALTH

Communication Difficulties and Seniors

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:41:00 +0000

Communication Difficulties and Seniors

Posted by OFH on August 17, 2011 ·

There are many different hearing, language, and speech problems that affect the senior community. By understanding the symptoms, seniors can seek the treatment they need and identify the problem as early as possible. At Odd Fellows Home we provide audiology services which involve an Otoscopic evaluation and a hearing screening. A licensed speech therapist also provides treatments to residents who have speech difficulties. A holistic treatment plan is created involving the physician and different departments like nursing, activities, rehabilitation, etc.

SeniorsList.com has listed below some common communication difficulties experienced by the senior population:

Hearing difficulties affect over 10 million seniors in the United States and the most common cause of this is presbycusis which is age-related hearing loss. This loss of hearing happens slowly, and first results in the difficulty to hear high-frequency sounds as someone talking. As this condition gets worse, lower-frequency sounds can become difficult to hear as well. Some of the symptoms include: difficulty hearing in noisy places, ringing in the ears, and voices sounding slurred or mumbled. It will also be easier to understand a man’s voice than a woman’s. While there is no cure for this condition, there are some treatments available with the most common being hearing aids. Of course any purchase of a hearing aid should be completed by licensed audiologist.
Aphasia is a condition where seniors experience impairment in language ability. Symptoms may include the inability to understand language, inability to form words or pronounce words, and inability to read or write. The major causes of aphasia are strokes and head injuries. And because of the complex nature of aphasia there is no universal treatment method. It presents itself differently in patients and, therefore, requires a team effort in providing a treatment plan. This may include a doctor, social worker, speech pathologist, psychologist, and occupational therapist. Overall treatment has been known to create positive outcomes when learning to adjust to these limitations in communication.
Dysarthria is a disorder that interferes with the normal production of speech. People who have dysarthria often have challenges with vocal quality, range, tone, strength in speech, and timing. Causes of dysarthria include degenerative disease (Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, and ALS), embolic stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Treatment is typically done by speech pathologists and includes a variety of techniques.
If you notice a change in speech, memory, organization, or communication in general than it should be reported to your physician or the senior’s physician immediately. These problems can often occur when there is an underlying problem, so it’s important to address this as soon as possible.

Brain Disorder Among Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:39:00 +0000

UCF Lands First-of-Its-Kind NIH Grant to Study Brain Disorder Among Chinese

A new University of Central Florida study could help tens of thousands of Chinese-Americans who have difficulty speaking after they suffer from strokes or other illnesses.

Assistant Professor Anthony Kong of Communication Sciences & Disorders has been awarded a first-of-its-kind $727,000 National Institutes of Health grant to research aphasia among Chinese speakers.

Aphasia is a condition in which people have difficulty understanding and speaking, usually after a stroke or head trauma. The trauma damages the left side of the brain, which is largely responsible for language comprehension and production. A tumor, brain infection or dementia can also cause the condition.

About 1 million people in the United States have aphasia. Up to 38 percent of people who suffer a stroke develop it.

“Aphasia can have devastating effects on daily communication and conversational skills that can severely hamper qualify of life,” Kong said. “The overarching goal of this study is to improve assessment methods and provide some treatment guidelines for Chinese speakers with aphasia worldwide.”

Several studies have looked at how the brain processes the English language and how aphasia impacts language ability among English speakers. But no large-scale, comprehensive studies have been conducted among any Asian language speakers.

Contrary to popular belief, people do not acquire and process all languages the same. Existing research shows the brain’s processing pattern for acquiring Chinese languages is quite different from Latin-based languages, which makes it essential to have the kind of information this study will produce available for assessment and treatment, Kong said.

There are very distinct ways that aphasia manifests itself among Cantonese speakers compared to English speakers, Kong said. He saw it first-hand while earning his doctorate and working in a Singapore hospital that saw hundreds of patients with aphasia who spoke English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay and Hindi, among other languages.

Much of Kong’s work will be conducted in his native Hong Kong because the community has a homogenous Cantonese-speaking population. Data and recommendations from the study, however, will have implications for all Chinese speakers with aphasia around the world. The information also will help further research about conditions across different languages.

Beginning in June, Kong and his team will interview and conduct extensive videotaped observations of more than 360 native Cantonese speakers with and without the condition. He will then create a database of information, which will include the distinctive linguistic symptoms of Chinese aphasia, the rhythm, stress and intonation of Chinese aphasic speech, and non-verbal behaviors of Chinese speakers with aphasia as a result of stroke. He will also document the same three categories in non-aphasiac subjects to create a baseline for comparison.

The information his team will collect is not available anywhere at this time and is essential in developing proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition among Chinese speakers. There are only a few existing tools to assess the condition among Cantonese speakers, one of which Kong developed when he was a graduate student. In comparison, more than 200 assessment tools exist for English speakers.

Kong’s team includes Dr. Sam Po Law of the University of Hong Kong, Dr. Alice Su Ying Lee of University College Cork in the Republic of Ireland and several students at the University of Hong Kong. Several hospitals and service agencies also are helping with the study. Pilot programs conducted the past two summers were funded by grants from UCF’s College of Health and Public Affairs.

Kong joined the UCF faculty in the fall of 2007. He is originally from Hong Kong. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. He stayed at the University of Hong Kong to earn his doctorate in the areas of aphasiology and adult neurogenic communication disorders. Prior to moving to the United States, he worked as the department head of the Speech Therapy Unit at the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf and served as the vice chairperson for the Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists.

Aphasia

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:32:00 +0000

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language. For most people, these are areas on the left side (hemisphere) of the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often as the result of a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor, an infection, or dementia. The disorder impairs the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing. Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage.

Who has aphasia?

Anyone can acquire aphasia, including children, but most people who have aphasia are middle-aged or older. Men and women are equally affected. According to the National Aphasia Association, approximately 80,000 individuals acquire aphasia each year from strokes. About one million people in the United States currently have aphasia.

What causes aphasia?

Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more of the language areas of the brain. Many times, the cause of the brain injury is a stroke. A stroke occurs when blood is unable to reach a part of the brain. Brain cells die when they do not receive their normal supply of blood, which carries oxygen and important nutrients. Other causes of brain injury are severe blows to the head, brain tumors, brain infections, and other conditions that affect the brain.

http://www.medicinenet.com/aphasia/page2.htm

FREE APHASIA / STROKE GROUP

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:18:00 +0000

ICD - CENTER FOR SPEECH/LANGUAGE,

LEARNING and HEARING

and the

INTERNATIONAL APHASIA MOVEMENT

SPONSOR THE

FREE APHASIA / STROKE GROUP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

AND EVERY TUESDAY

5 PM - 7PM

Dr. Dorothy Ross will conduct aDiscussion Group that deals with Aphasia and Stroke and many other topics that are important to Survivors and Co-Survivors

In the Cafeteria

The address of ICD is:
340 East 24th Street
New York, NY, 10010
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS CONTACT:

Dr. Dorothy Ross at 347-247-5245

or Harvey Alter at 212-217-2610

or email us at aphasiamovement@aol.com

MEETS EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT

ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE

CO-SURVIVORS ARE ALWAYS WECOME.

Diane Ackerman Appearances Across the US

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Diane Ackerman: One Hundred Names for Love
2011 Book Tour

Dear Adam,

Diane Ackerman, W.W. Norton & Company, and the National Aphasia Association would like to invite you to not only read Diane Ackerman's new book, One Hundred Names for Love, but also join her for a discussion at one of her many appearances around the country this Spring/Summer.

Explained further below, One Hundred Names for Love is Ackerman's account of her husband, author Paul West's, stroke and subsequent aphasia. Ackerman will be touring the country to speak about the book and her personal experience as a spouse and caregiver. Please look below to see if there is an event near you.

We hope that you will be able to attend one of these great events!

Sincerely,

Ellayne Ganzfried, Executive Director
National Aphasia Association

One Hundred Names for Love

Diane Ackerman

"Everyone who cherishes the gift of language will cherish Diane Ackerman's narrative masterpiece, an exquisitely written love story and medical miracle story, one that combines science, inspiration, wisdom, and heart.

One day Ackerman's husband, Paul West, an exceptionally gifted wordsmith and intellectual, suffered a terrible stroke. When he regained awareness he was afflicted with aphasia-loss of language-and could utter only a single syllable: "mem." The standard therapies yielded little result but frustration. Diane soon found, however, that by harnessing their deep knowledge of each other and her scientific understanding of language and the brain she could guide Paul back to the world of words. This triumphant book is both a humane and revealing addition to the medical literature on stroke and aphasia and an exquisitely written love story: a magnificent addition to literature, period."

Where & When

Boston: Tuesday, April 5th, 2011, 6:00pm
Boston Public Library Author Talk Series
http://www.bpl.org/news/author_series.htm#20110405

Los Angeles: Friday, April 8th, 2011, 7:00pm
Vroman's Bookstore/All Saints Church Discussion & Book Signing
http://www.vromansbookstore.com/diane-ackerman

DC: Sunday, April 10th, 2011, 5:00pm
Politics & Prose
http://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/diane-ackerman-one-hundred-names-love

Miami: Wednesday, April 13th, 2011, 8:00pm
Books & Books
http://www.booksandbooks.com/dinae_ackerman

Palm Beach: Thursday, April 14th, 2011, 5:30pm
Society of the Four Arts - The Four Arts King Library
http://www.fourarts.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.one&content_id=911&x=1276191

Atlanta: Tuesday, April 19th, 2011, 7:00pm
Margaret Mitchell House
http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/cms/Lectures+at+Margaret+Mitchell+House/301.html#april

New York: April 21st, 2011, 7:00pm
Barnes & Noble, 82nd St & Broadway
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/71273

Detroit: Monday, May 6th, 2011, 11:00am
Detroit Book & Author Luncheon
http://www.bookandauthor.org/

Philadelphia: May19th, 2011, 7:30pm
Philadelphia Free Library
http://www.freelibrary.org/

Dallas: July 22nd, 2011, Time TBD
Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference
http://www.themayborn.unt.edu/MaybornConference.htm

Chautauqua, NY: August 18th, 2011, 3:30pm
Chautauqua Institution
http://www.ciweb.org/

The National Aphasia Association

350 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10001

800-922-4622

Paid Study: NYU Center for Brain Imaging

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:15:00 +0000

PAID STUDY
NYU Center for Brain Imaging

Must be 18 years or older

Name of study: SEMANTIC FEATURE PROCESSING IN INDIVIDUALS WITH STROKE APHASIA

Contact information:
Name: Carolyn Falconer M.S. CCC-SLP
Phone: 212-998-5230
Email: cfh237@nyu.edu

Paid Study: NYU Center for Brain Imaging

Caregiver Education and Support Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Quick Links

National Aphasia Assoc

Northwestern Univ

Assoc for FTD

Frontotemporal Dementia & Primary Progressive Aphasia

Caregiver Education and Support Conference

Dear Adam,

The National Aphasia Association and The Association for Frontotemporal Dementias are proud to be a part of this important conference for both caregivers and persons with Primary Progressive Aphasia that is being hosted by Northwestern University's Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center.

The conference will be held Monday, March 21st, 2011 at The Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center of Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. The program will include a Keynote Address by Bradley F. Boeve, MD, a professor of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN; approaches to assessing and treating mood and behavioral symptoms by Deborah Reed, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University; a number of breakout sessions for caregivers, and so much more.

For more information, or to register to attend, please click here or paste www.brain.northwestern.edu/events/ftdppa.html into your web browser.

We hope to see you in Chicago!

THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES CONFERENCE

noreply@blogger.com (Aphasia NYC) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:50:00 +0000

The International Aphasia Movement

recommends that you refer to the site below

and the attachment presented by

The New York Academy of Sciences

Music, Science and Medicine

Frontiers in Biomedical Research

and Clinical Applications

This is a landmark multidisciplinary 1- day conference

being held on March 25, 2011

nyas

confMSM032511_dec2010.doc