Perspectives Winter/Spring-2017

“Two are better than one, for if they fall, one will lift up his friend.”—Ecclesiastes, v. 9–10 The road to recovery from communication disorders can be traumatic, not only for the person with the dis- order, but also for his or her loved ones. When it comes to learning strategies to implement more effective com- munication skills, coping emotionally with the effects of disorder, or anticipating disease progression or stabiliza- tion, the journey can be isolating and frightening. Often, a person who presents with aphasia after a stroke finds that friends have disappeared. The support system may shrink to a few family members, and even well-meaning family members may not understand what the person with aphasia is experiencing the way another person with aphasia would. People with Parkinson’s disease, who struggle to make themselves heard despite worsening dysarthria, find it increasingly difficult to communicate with family, so they may stop trying. The woman who supports her husband through his recovery from a stroke suffers silently, because, while she can communicate, she lives with the stress of aphasia daily. The teenager who struggles to get words out but can’t because he stutters may feel overwhelming panic and frustration. Those who are impacted may receive individual therapy at the NSU Speech-Language Pathology Clinic, but the need for support may not be fully addressed. That’s where group work comes in, which is provided for free at the clinic. The Speech-Language Pathology Clinic offers group therapy sessions to learn commu- nication skills for people with Parkinson’s disease and people with aphasia, as well as group support for caregivers of adults with acquired communication disorders and people who stutter. Graduate students run the sessions, which are supervised by certified speech-language pathologists as part of the clinical practicum in the master’s program in speech-language pathology. During the weekly Parkinson’s communication group, on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m., participants practice vocal exercises and engage in fun activities that challenge them to use loud speech and address some of the cognitive changes they report. Strategies based on evidence-based practice and principles of motor learning help participants find their voice. Whether singing New York, New York along with Frank Sinatra or improvising during a role-play activity for ordering dinner from their favorite restaurant, the members laugh while they learn. They see that they are not alone in facing Parkinson’s disease, and they provide support to people with similar challenges. The caregiver support group meets monthly on Wednes- days at 11:00 a.m. During these meetings, the graduate student clinicians are sometimes joined by an intern from the Department of Psychology. With the facilita- tion of the graduate students, the family members discuss issues that have come up recently, and they support each other with suggestions for handling situations based on their experience. Longtime attendees welcome new members with sage advice or a hand outstretched in friendship. Tears sometimes flow, but they’re not always tears of sad- ness. Participants enjoy mental and physical group exercises to reduce stress, problem solving to reduce COLLEGE OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCES • 59 Several participants in the Parkinson’s communication group hold up visual reminders to those sitting across from them to use a loud voice and to speak slowly.