Giving people with aphasia their voice back
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23/8/2016
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Caring
for a loved one at the end of their life is never easy. For some, like Sonya
Budge, the challenges are made all the more complex when communicating is
difficult. At age 48, Sonya knew she was dying from cancer. However, because
she had aphasia—loss of language—it was difficult for her to
clearly tell her family and care team how she wanted to spend her
journey.
Listen to Krista and Roshene's interview on CBC Ottawa Morning.
Krista Curtis, speech-language
pathologist, and Roshene Lawson, clinical chaplain at
Bruyère’s Saint-Vincent Hospital, recognizing her
frustrations, were determined to find a solution. Discovering a deficit in
available resources to support end-of-life discussions with people like Sonya,
they are developing an app to make it easier to communicate thoughts and
feelings despite aphasia’s challenges.
Although Sonya passed away this spring,
her memory and the impact she had on so many people lives on. She was the inspiration
and thanks to her, Krista and Roshene are keen to continue their work to
open the door for other people with aphasia.
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