THE CARE YOU DESERVE©

One of the most difficult aftereffects of a stroke can be the loss of speech. While it can be difficult to communicate with a loved one after they have suffered from a stroke, it isn’t impossible. In this blog we’ll cover some basics to help aid in communication.

Have a Pencil and Paper Nearby

If your loved one has the ability to write, having a pad of paper and a writing instrument nearby can be a quick and easy way for them to communicate with you. However, this method should be kept to a minimum after they begin their official speech therapy, because the goal of therapy is to get them to begin repairing their damaged speaking ability and get them recovered and talking as soon as possible.

Common Phrases

Printing common phrases on a large notebook, or on flash cards, and then having your loved one point to the appropriate phrase is a great shortcut for communication during the early non-verbal part of your loved one’s recovery. Getting to know their schedule will also help make things run more smoothly.

Communicate with Their Speech Therapist

Talk to the speech therapist and find out what kind of growth they think is possible, and how you can help continue therapy when they aren’t there. They may give you some exercises to do with your loved one, or they may ask you to take your loved one out into the world so they can work on their skills with other people.

Be Patient

If we have a hard time trying to figure out what a loved one is saying after they’ve lost their speech, or had their speaking abilities impaired, imagine what it would be like to be in their shoes. No matter how difficult it is for you, it is magnitudes more difficult for the person who has lost their speech. Just remember that every time you start to lose your patience that neither of you wanted to have this happen.  

The most important thing to remember is this: regaining the ability to speak can be a long and difficult journey. But if your loved one is working hard, match their effort and try to help them in any way that they need.

If you or a relative needs a speech therapist, call Sphinx Home Health Care to schedule an appointment as soon as possible so we can begin to develop the most effective home speech therapy plan to help.