Maximizing Communication & Independence
Stroke's impact on cognitive, speech and language can be significant and difficult. But understanding the various conditions and how to improve them, or work around them, can help to enhance independence and quality of life.
Cognitive Challenges Post Stroke
Cognitive deficits are changes in thinking, like difficulty solving problems. This category also includes dementia and memory problems, as well as many kinds of communication challenges.
A stroke often alters communication, with its location influencing what will be affected. In addition to communication problems like aphasia, a condition affecting the ability to understand or process language, communication deficits may include decreased attention, distractibility and the inability to inhibit inappropriate behavior. Problem-solving ability is sometimes affected, typically in survivors of right-brain strokes.
Problem-solving ability is sometimes affected, usually more in survivors of right-brain strokes.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is commonly associated with left-hemisphere stroke, impacts reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other thought processes.
Memory Loss
Everyone experiences memory loss from time to time. Memory loss may be a direct result of stroke.
Communication Challenges Post Stroke
Actions speak louder than words
Constraint Induced Language Therapy for Aphasia
What is Aphasia?
A language disorder that affects your ability to communicate. It’s most often caused by strokes in the left side of the brain that control speech and language.
Communication and Swallowing Resources
This site includes resources to help you understand communication and communication disorders, as well as a professional referral service for access to qualified care.
The National Aphasia Association (NAA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes public education, research, rehabilitation and support services to assist people with aphasia and their families.
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