LIFE Beyond Aphasia

Episode #31 Aphasia Village, Keep Moving Forward & Gratitude DESCRIPTION An aphasia caregiver wears many hats that reflect responsibilities, scheduling, managing people, advocating, and circumstance planning.    HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK'S EPISODE Shout-out to Brandon Macon, #MaconaDifference Aaron Avila, Stroke Survivor and Owner of Stroke TV Media Gratitude for my Parents, Ken & Judy My Fi...

Episode #30 Convention Takeaways for Aphasia Treatment & Celebrating a Milestone "Life is good. If it ain't, make it good." - Unknown   DESCRIPTION I'm here for the long haul to support the stroke community and to bridge the gap between discharge from rehabilitation and making a life you love.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO HIGHER USES OF P...

Episode #29 Telepractice and Aphasia Speech Pathology Treatment DESCRIPTION Telepractice is the new rehabilitation for those seeking specialized treatment to reach their goals.  There is no such thing as a plateau.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE HOW GENEVIEVE STARTED IN TELEPRACTICE THE WITEBOARD AND TELEPRACTICE TREATMENT APHASIA AND LANGUAGE EXPRESSION EXAMPLES OF LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS WHAT IS TE...

Episode #28 Aphasia + Speech Pathology + Rehabilitation Road "We need to let families know that they are not alone. They need to know that speech pathologists are there, as well as physical and occupational therapists, physicians, nurses, and case managers." - Genevieve Richardson “There is no such thing as a plateau. There is a limitation of insurance. There can be a limitation in the clinician's...

Episode #27 Aphasia and Stroke Survivor Grief, How to Recognize and Process Grief "Your loved one may not have the ability to voice their emotions due to their aphasia. They may not recognize that their actions can be speaking louder than their words. Don't take their reactions personally. If they're having a bad day, it may have nothing to do with you. " - Genevieve Richardson   DESCRIPTION Focus...

Episode #26 Grief After Stoke for Families; Processing Grief as a Caregiver Grief is a normal part of the process. When you lose something, you eventually need to grieve it." - Genevieve Richardson.   DESCRIPTION Grief and guilt are common feelings that someone might experience. When you are a caregiver of a stroke survivor, you have a new set of responsibilities. What are some of the stages of gr...

Episode #25 #MACONADIFFERENCE Life After a Stroke "I focus on what I can do. And I have this 80/20 rule. What I mean is 20% of my work gets 80% of what I need. So with the 20% that I've learned how to do, I can do 80% of what I need to." - Brandon Macon, 2023   DESCRIPTION Today, we're talking to Brandon Macon. He is a stroke survivor with aphasia and tells us how he lives and thrives despite his...

Episode #24 Won't vs. Can't Aphasia Rehabilitation After Stroke "If someone shows you their true colors, don't try to paint them." -Unknown "When people show you their true colors, don't get mad. Paint a beautiful mural of life's lessons and keep marching forward." - Alex Ellie   DESCRIPTION There are many reasons why a stroke survivor may be resistant to therapy. It's important to understand the...

Episode #23 Strengthen Your Marriage After Stroke "If you're not happy with where you are and what you've got, you won't be happy with where you go or what you get. Happiness is a choice for today."  - Fawn Weaver   DESCRIPTION Suffering from a stroke can completely change your life, which will consequently affect your marriage. Work together to rebuild a healthy relationship   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THI...

Episode #22 How to Embrace Your New Reality After Stroke "Worry never accomplishes anything. When you have a problem, it is best to concentrate on the solution to that problem and not the problem itself." -Thomas D. Willhite    DESCRIPTION A stroke is a life-changing event. There are ways to work through your challenges and come out stronger on the other side.  You are not alone.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM...

Episode #21 Asking Better Questions in Aphasia, New Year's Resolution "You're off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way." - Dr. Seuss    DESCRIPTION New Year's is just around the corner. Commit to asking better questions of your loved one with aphasia.  Get the workbook.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR! THREE LAYERS OF BEHAVIOR CHANG...

Episode #20 Life After Stroke, Building A Life You Love "Life is about accepting the challenges along the way. Choosing to keep moving forward and savoring the journey."— Roy T. Bennett "Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form." - Rumi   DESCRIPTION Life is about accepting the challenges along the way. Choosing to keep moving forward and savoring the journey. How to build a li...

Episode #19 Life After Stroke: Resilience "Resilience isn’t a single skill. It's a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back from bumps in the road, as well as failures, you should focus on emphasizing the positive."   — Jean Chatzky "Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It's the courage to continue that counts." — Winston S. Churchill   DESCRIPTION The four components of resi...

Episode #18 Life After Stroke, Connecting with Your Loved One with Aphasia "Connection is the energy that exists between two people when they feel seen, heard, and valued, when they can give and receive without judgment, and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship." - Genevieve Richardson   DESCRIPTION This is the first of five episodes about life after a stroke and aphasia....

Episode #17 Talking Turkey About Aphasia Inclusion During the Holidays "It is truly possible to converse, make memories, and connect even with limited speech. They are the person, you know. Their memories, experiences, and knowledge are still there. Aphasia is the condition that has broken these connections. Figure out a way to communicate. Limited speech is not limited voice." - DP, Spouse   DESC...

Episode #16 Advocacy in Aphasia By and For Your Loved One with Aurora Azevedo "You should be advocating every day in every situation, not only for yourself but for your spouse or your friend or your partner." - Aurora Azevedo   DESCRIPTION Listening and giving time and space for your loved one with aphasia to communicate is key for their confidence, inclusion, and life.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPIS...

Episode #15 Education, Advocacy & Empowerment in Aphasia "[A] communication partner to be clear and precise, to slow down, to be loud, but not to shout." - Callie Maywald   DESCRIPTION Bringing education and awareness to other people in the real world and it gives the caregiver a sense of empowerment.    HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE PATIENT SELF-ADVOCACY IN APHASIA CUEING MAY NOT BE HELPFUL SE...

Episode #14 Your Dementia Therapist, Supporting Caregivers "There are a lot of things that can mimic the symptoms of dementia...It could be sleep disturbances or medication side effects. I mean, there are so many different things. So, any cognitive-related concern." - Mary Osborne   DESCRIPTION Mary Osborne wants to change the narrative about dementia and support caregivers at YourDementiaTherapis...

Episode #13 Wills, Trusts, Deeds, Powers of Attorney, Oh My! "This engine may be running, but if you try and get out on the highway when there's a piece missing down here that's important, that's gonna cause you to crash." - Keith Leuty   DISCUSSION Get your legal house in order with a will, a Ladybird deed, a living trust, and powers of attorney for finances and medical decisions.  Get 'er done....

Episode #12 Giving Grace in Aphasia-Supported Communication "You spend every day with them, and it's important to know that you want to talk to them in a natural way." - Sarah Willingham   DESCRIPTION Sarah Willingham talks about strategies for communicating with your loved one with aphasia.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE IMPRESSIONS OF COMMUNICATION PARTNER TRAINING WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN SPEAKING T...

Episode #8 From Hope to Gratitude on the Aphasia Struggle Bus: One Wife's Perspective "I'm so glad we focus on the communicating part because that is what we need to make any kind of life with each other, to be able to laugh and to, you know, to have moments together." - Dee   DESCRIPTION Dee, a resilient spouse who cares, advocates, coaches, and loves her spouse with aphasia and apraxia of speech...

Episode #11 Don't Do Medicare Alone with Dana Lasman, AKA MedicareDana.com "Why I chose to be independent is that, especially within Medicare, some of the Medicare plans are standardized, which means across the board in any state, they're the same coverage and the same benefits, but the insurance carriers can charge varying premiums." - Dana Lasman   DISCUSSION Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (A...

Episode #10 Communication Partner Training in Aphasia with Gisela Jaimes "Open to practicing alone and practicing in front of an SLP so that they might give you feedback." - Gisela Jaimes   DESCRIPTION Gisela Jaimes talks to us about her experience with Communication Partner Training in Aphasia - speech therapy after stroke.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE WHAT IS COMMUNICATION PARTNER TRAINING? HO...

Episode #9 Hiring In-Home Care for Seniors or Persons with Aphasia "We can't physically administer medication, but we can say, "Hey, Mr. Smith, it's time to take your A.M. Medication." We also cannot put the medicine in their hand or their mouth. They need to be able to physically do that, but we can hand them a cup that would have their medication in it." - Kyle Green   DESCRIPTION Kyle Green of...

Episode #7 Find the Best Community For Your Senior with Anna McMaster “We help families find senior living options like independent living, assisted memory care, etc.” - Anna McMaster.   DESCRIPTION Anna McMaster of CarePatrol Austin, a certified senior advisor, helps families navigate senior living options and find the best senior community.   HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE WHAT IS CARE PATROL? ANN...