When people talk about “improving memory and cognitive skills” in older adults, puzzles and brain games often come up first. But it’s important to pause and ask: what does improvement actually mean? The truth is, many studies show that when people practice puzzles or play brain games, they get better at those specific puzzles or…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Do any of these thoughts sound familiar? “I’m here in the garage and have no idea why.” “I can’t remember my new neighbor’s name and I just met him an hour ago.” “Did I close the garage door when I left home this morning?” These are only some of the common memory lapses everyone experiences. …