Adult Communication Disorders: How are they treated in a Medical Setting

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Communication is a complex process involving hearing, comprehension, cognition, language, voice and speech production.  Normal communication relies on the effectiveness of several underlying processes including phonation, respiration, resonance, hearing, brain function, and oral mechanism. Adult Communication Disorders Treated in a Medical Setting According to the American Speech Language and Hearing Association a communication impairment is…

Grieving communication loss

Grief and Coping Tips After Communication Impairment

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Sudden onset of a communication disorder can be traumatic and life changing. While most people make good progress, recovery is variable depending on their access to helpful resources. There are often residual deficits that may be permanent. Because these communication deficits are often caused by medical problems such as stroke, brain injury or neurological disease there are…

How to avoid absentmindedness

12 Tips to Avoid Absent-mindedness

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Absent-mindedness can be frustrating, but understanding what it means and how to combat it can help you stay focused and organized. Absent-mindedness occurs when your mind is absent from what it intended to focus on or accomplish. This lack of attention can be caused by: Almost everyone experiences absent-mindedness daily, such as forgetting where they…

How to help people with communication problems

How to Help a Person with Communication Problems

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Communication deficits can occur due to various conditions such as hearing loss, stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and neurological or neuromuscular diseases. Although the symptoms of communication problems vary widely, some general guidelines can help facilitate successful communication. Reduce Distractions Simplify Clue Them In Allow Time Guess Confirm Be Supportive Respect Use Augmentative and Alternative…

Communication Tips for People with Aphasia

What is Aphasia? 

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Aphasia, pronounced uh-fay-zhuh, is a language disorder due to brain damage.  It comes from the Greek word phasia meaning speech.   When many people think of language they focus on verbal expression, but this is only one component of language.  In addition to verbalizing, language involves comprehension for both spoken and written words.  It involves…

Communication Tips for People With Aphasia

Communication Tips for People With Aphasia

ByBarbara Van Dyne

For more than 30 years, I have helped individuals with aphasia, along with their families and caregivers, understand and cope with this complex and frustrating disorder of communication. Aphasia is a loss of language due to brain damage and can cause a variety of communication problems, ranging from mild to severe issues with word-finding, sentence…

how to memorize numbers

How to Memorize Numbers

ByBarbara Van Dyne

Memorizing numbers, whether it’s phone numbers, dates, or any numerical data, is a skill that can significantly enhance your cognitive abilities, improve your professional performance, and boost your daily life efficiency. Similar to the importance of remembering names, memorizing numbers shows attention to detail and can help in building connections and trust in both personal…

How to Communicate with People Who Have Memory Loss

How to Communicate with People Who Have Memory Loss

ByBarbara Van Dyne

If you have a loved one or friend who has recently suffered from a condition that has caused them to loose memory, you’ve probably noticed that communicating with them is a bit more challenging. Remember, just because people have suffered from memory loss doesn’t mean they don’t remember how they feel about you or how…