Conversation Group at Ingalls
Helps People with Aphasia Gain
Confidence in a Supportive Environment
Imagine talking with a friend but you
can’t find the words, or scanning the
headlines in the paper, but they look like
they’re written in a foreign language.
Every year in the United States, thousands of people
are suddenly plunged into a world of jumbled
communication because of a condition known as
aphasia. Stroke is the leading cause of aphasia, but it can
also be caused by other neurological conditions.
“Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder resulting
from damage to the language centers and pathways of
the brain,” explains Beth Heise, M.S., C.C.C., S.L.P./L.,
Speech-Language Pathologist and Senior Therapist for the
Ingalls Center for Rehabilitative Medicine. “Aphasia can
limit listening comprehension, a person’s ability to recall
words and produce sentences, and hinder reading and
writing. People with aphasia know what they want to say,
but can’t find the words to express it.”
Fifty-year-old Pattie Dunne of Frankfort suffered a
debilitating hemorrhagic stroke in 2008 at the young age
of 43. “For one year, I couldn’t speak at all,” the mother of
two grown sons explains. But the former accountant never
gave up.
Not only did Pattie work diligently with Ingalls physical
therapists to regain her strength and mobility, she spent
countless hours with Ingalls speech therapists to overcome
her impairment and relearn to communicate.
Imagine talking with a friend but you
can’t find the words, or scanning the
headlines in the paper, but they look like
they’re written in a foreign language.
“For me, talking was everything,” Pattie explains. “Before
my stroke, I talked, talked, talked all the time; that all
changed in 2008. Thankfully, I can talk again, but now, I
talk more slowly and take my time.”
One powerful resource Pattie has tapped into is the
monthly Aphasia Conversation Group hosted by Ingalls.
The only one of its kind in the South Suburbs, the group
provides a comfortable and supportive environment for
socializing, practicing communication skills, and conversing
with others who are dealing with aphasia. By sharing their
personal struggles and encouraging each other, members
gain confidence.
At its most recent meeting, friendly conversation and
laughter filled the room.
“It’s been a great help to me,” Pattie adds. “I really enjoy
the meetings and the friends I’ve made there.”
With her newfound confidence, Pattie plans to move to
Georgia to join her son and looks forward to putting her
budding photography skills to use.
“When you have aphasia, it’s really hard to communicate,”
she said. “It’s taken a lot of work – and I’m still working on
it – but I’m proof that you can regain your communication
skills.”
For more information about the Ingalls Aphasia
Conversation Group, call Beth Heise, MS CCC SLP/L,
Speech-Language Pathologist and Senior Therapist
for the Ingalls Center for Rehabilitative Medicine,
at ext. 4232.