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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Presentation Update


Aphasia Solutions Network - Presentation Update
The Big Ten Questions we address during our workshops:
•What is aphasia, really?
•Why do 1.25 million residents of Canada and the USA continue to suffer chronic aphasia?
•How can we make every treatment activity truly therapeutic?
•What does evidence-based practice for aphasia look like?
•What are some key elements helping to alleviate the effects of depression with aphasia?
•Is there a difference between aphasia rehabilitation and aphasia recovery?
•Can traditional didactic treatment ever be effective for aphasia recovery?
•What is the cost-benefit ratio for intensive aphasia treatment?
•What is the best way to use groups?


And the most important question we address to is
•Can worksheets grow dendrites?
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Our workshop titled, Who's Doing the Thinking; Who's Doing the Talking? , in Windsor Canada on 5/13/10 is being organized by Helga Schollenberger and will be held at the University of Windsor.  Please contact Helga at 519-973-4411x3370 or hschollenberger@hdgh.org for information or to register.  This full day workshop will cover topics including: innovative aphasia treatment; effective and affordable software; a visual definition of aphasia;effective use of groups; peer coaching and tutoring; evidence-based aphasia treatment; techniques to improve cognitive underpinnings; ways to minimize imitation and external cueing in treatment in order to facilitate the client's independent conversational skills; as well as numerous unique treatment techniques and activities. Workshop activities include: proven applications of aphasia telerehab and real-time video conferencing treatment demonstrations and Q&A with Aphasia Solutions Network clients and groups. 

Please visit http://www.ohioslha.org/ContinuingEducation/2010Convention/ConventionBulletin-2010.pdfand http://www.mdslha.org/images/documents/2010_brochure.pdf for information about the OH and MD conventions.

I want to thank the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing-Association for inviting me to present this week.  I commend convention co-chairs Margaret Cain-Miracle, Rebecca S. Goss and their staff for a wonderfully organized and executed conference.  I had the opportunity to attend a session on improving aphasia testing given by Dr. Robert Marshall.  We have all benefited from Dr. Marshall's significant contributions to aphasia rehabilitation.  We added several new members to the Aphasia Solutions Network during the convention. 


Upcoming presentations and workshops for Bill Connors:


Pittsburgh Area Brain Injury Alliance, March 1, 2010,  7:00pm-9:00pm est, Pittsburgh, PA USA

Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Convention, March 13, 2010, 8:45 am-12:00 pm est, Columbus, OH USA

Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Convention, March 26, 2010, 9:0 am-3:00 pm est, Towson, MD USA

Aphasia Consumer Workshop,April 17, 2010, 9:00 am -- 12:00 am est, ASN home office, Pittsburgh, PA USA

Windsor Essex County Communication Link, May 13, 2010, 8:30 am- 4:15pm est, Windsor, Ontario USA

To discuss offering a workshop in your locale, contact Bill Connors at 724.494.2534 or bill@aphasiatoolbox.com .
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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Aphasia Solutions Network - Online Small Group Program


www.aphasiatoolbox.com - 2/21/2010 Newsletter


" Finally, when word-finding is not easy,  finding help is."

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Presentations and workshops for Bill Connors:

Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Convention, February 25, 2010, 9:30 am-5:45 pm est, Lexington, KY

Pittsburgh Area Brain Injury Alliance, March 1, 2010,  7:00 pm-9:00pm est, Pittsburgh, PA USA

Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Convention, March 23, 2010, 8:45 am-12:00 pm est, Columbus, OH USA

Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing-Association Convention, March 26, 2010, 9:0 am-3:00 pm est, Towson, MD USA

Aphasia Consumer Workshop, April 17, 2010, 9:00 am -- 12:00 am est, ASN home office, Pittsburgh, PA USA

Windsor Essex County Communication Link, May 13, 2010, 8:30 am- 4:15pm est, Windsor, Ontario USA

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Aphasia Solutions Network - Online Small Group Program

In our last newsletter, we discussed the history and benefits of traditional aphasia groups.  Roberta Elman, in her seminal book on aphasia groups, suggested improvement in social adjustment, enhanced quality of life, and ongoing growth in communication skills as desirable outcomes for participation in aphasia groups (Elman, 2007). We salute all those whose efforts provide opportunities for people with aphasia (PWA) and their caregivers take advantage of group activities.


In his best-selling book, Thomas Friedman seems to use the metaphor, "The World is Flat" to support his notion that technology connectedness has leveled the global playing field providing more equal opportunity for competitors around the world (Friedman, 2005).  Our goal at Aphasia Solutions Network(ASN) is to flatten the world of aphasia. Our mission is to find creative solutions and tools to give PWA, all over the world, equal opportunity to continue on their recovery pathways.  Albert Einstein's quote, "To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science." reflects well our view.


Starting in 2009, the staff of ASN and www.aphasiatoolbox.com decided it was time to find the best way to take advantage of innovative technology and multidisciplinary fields of study to translate aphasia group research into affordable, accessible and effective tools for PWA traveling the pathway of recovery.  The staff, incorporating continuous quality improvement standards, developed groups that encompassed: social support, peer tutoring and coaching, public speaking, language drills, treatment carryover, and vocabulary recovery and development.  By using commercial videoconferencing services (www.oovoo.com; www.skype.com ), PWA can now participate in small, interactive groups from the comfort of their own homes, treatment clinics, or rehabilitation facilities.  There is no extra charge for the video conferencing service and no need for expensive equipment.  We have combined videoconferencing with talented group leaders including PWA, effective techniques drawn from a variety of fields of study, and innovative technological tools. In doing this, ASN has taken a significant step forward by setting new standards for affordable, smart, meaningful and aggressive therapy options for people with aphasia on their paths to recovery.  


Visit http://aphasiatoolbox.earthwebplace.com/calendar.htm to view a calendar of the Aphasia Solutions Network's online, small groups.

Here are the details for each ASN online group:

Introduction to Our Software Group: 

Group Leader-Adam Miller, PWA, BS, Computer Science 

Group Goals:

To introduce in clear and simple terms the use of software

                        applications such as video web-cam; chat; Google apps and others 

To introduce in clear and simple terms the use of www.aphasiatoolbox.com software programs (The Aphasia Sight Reader; Verbal Working Memory and Attention Training for Aphasia)

To simplify the use of these applications 

To assist the participant in the effective use of these applications for aphasia therapy and for unlimited practice 

To assist the participants by troubleshooting any problems with the use of these applications

To provide clear written instructions and assistance for using the applications

To provide support and refresher instruction in use of the applications

To facilitate screen literacy

To make computer and internet use fun

Cost/availability:

Free to members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 2/6 seats available

Men's Aphasia Bootcamp

Group Leader-Bill Connors, CCC, SLP

Group Goals:

            To provide peer collaborative practice and drills 

To emphasize turn taking and listening skills

To facilitate participation and social communication engagement

To provide social support and networking

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 1/6 seats available; this is a group for men

Aphasia Bootcamp

Group Leader-Bill Connors, CCC, SLP

Group Goals:

To provide peer collaborative practice and drills 

To emphasize turn taking and listening skills

To facilitate participations and social communication engagement

To provide social support and networking

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To incorporate dedicated software into practice

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 2/6 seats available

Public Speaking and Leadership Training for People with Aphasia

Group Leader-Paul Berger, PWA, M.A., M.B.A, www.StrokeSurvivor.com

Group Goals:

To provide to people with aphasia practice in preparing and delivering

            speeches adapted from the Toastmasters [http://www.toastmasters.org/] model

To emphasize turn taking, engagement and listening skills

To provide to people with aphasia practice in effective impromptu

            speaking

To provide social support and networking

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 0/6 seats available

Public Speaking and Leadership Training for People with Aphasia

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Goals:

To provide to people with aphasia practice in preparing and delivering

            speeches adapted from the Toastmasters [http://www.toastmasters.org/]

            model

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To provide to people with aphasia practice ineffective impromptu

           speaking

To provide social support and networking

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 5/6 seats available

Woman's Aphasia Group

Group Leader-Janet Ross, PWA, MSW, RSW

Group Goals:

To feel comfortable and accepted during group interactions

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To provide social support and networking

To learn about stroke and aphasia recovery

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 0/6 seats available; this is a group for women

Aphasia ConversationGroup

Group Leader-Janet Ross, PWA, MSW,RSW

GroupGoals:

To feel comfortable and accepted during group interactions

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To provide social support and networking

To learn about stroke and aphasia recovery

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

Verbs Turn Me On Group

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

GroupGoals:

To focus on appreciation of, recognition of and use of verbs

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To become facile in the use of various verb forms: tenses; gerunds;

nerbs; verbs in simple-compound-complex sentences; phrasal verbs

To strengthen neural connections between verbs and subjects/objects and pronouns [subjective; interrogative; demonstrative]

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

 

Small Group Focused Aphasia Treatment

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Goals:

To provide ongoing effective and responsive aphasia treatment at an

            affordable cost in a small ( 2-3 PWA) group format

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To provide the opportunity for unlimited practice incorporating dedicated

           software

To facilitate the training of practice coaches and caregivers

To engage in patient/peer modeled treatment

To have fun

* This is a 75 minute session

Cost/availability:

$30.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $45.00 for non-

members - 2/3 seats available

Knowledge of Words

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Leader-Adam Miller, PWA, BS, ComputerScience 

Group Goals:

To focus on appreciation of, recognition of and use of words

To emphasize turn taking, engagement, and listening skills

To utilize everyday activities, commercial games and websites to

           reconnect word associations and word recall.

To improve adult vocabulary recognition and usage 

To practice treatment skills gained in individual sessions

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

Introduction to Sentence Shaper2

Group Leader-Marcia Linebarger, PhD, www.sentenceshaper.com

Group Goals:

To learn the basics for using the SentenceShapers software

To become acquainted with the newest SSR version

To share SSR treatment and practice ideas

To have fun

Cost/availability:

No charge-$0.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $0.00

for non-members -  4/6 seats available

Caregivers SupportGroup

Group Leader-Janet Ross, MSW,RSW

Group Goals:

To support each other in a caregivers social network

To learn about stroke and aphasia recovery

To share ideas, concerns and resources

To discuss crisis management

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 4/6 seats available

How To Be an Effective Aphasia Practice Coach

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Goals:

To help coaches learn and discuss specific, effective techniques and tools in order to assist PWA in their efforts to regain conversational speech and reading/writing skills

To identify optimal practice habits and regimens

To support each other in a coach's social network

To discuss optimal practice support and encouragement strategies

To learn about the role of practice in aphasia and brain injury recovery

To discuss how to make practice fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

Oral Motor Coordination Group

Group Leader-Anna King, PWA

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Goals:

To improve the ability to make rapid, rhythmic movements of the tongue,

            lips and jaw necessary for fluent speech

To establish normal breath support for connected and conversational speech

To establish skill in voice production and control for conversational

Speech and normal voice/speech projection

To discuss optimal practice support and encouragement strategies

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

 

The Assertive Aphasia Consumer

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Leader-Paul Berger, PWA, M.A., M.B.A, www.StrokeSurvivor.com

GroupGoals:

 To investigate a clear, useful and practical definition of aphasia using

            theVisual Definition of Aphasia

To identify the finest resources and tools for aphasia rehabilitation and

            recovery skills

To identify optimal practice habits and regimens for PWA

To provide a forum for discussion and questions about aphasia recovery

To discuss optimal practice support and encouragement strategies

To learn about the role of practice in aphasia and brain injury recovery

To discuss the role of humor and fun in aphasia rehabilitation

Cost/availability:

$15.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

The SLP Roundtable Discussion and Grand Rounds

Group Leader-Bill Connors, SLP;CCC

Group Leader-guests leaders

Group Goals:

To present and discuss case studies of aphasia and related disorders

To brainstorm and share optimal resources, strategies, techniques and

                    tools for aphasia treatment

To discuss practice habits and regimens for PWA

To provide a forum for discussion and questions about the evaluation and treatment of aphasia and related disorders

To support the efforts of each other

To have fun

Cost/availability:

$00.00 for members of the Aphasia Solutions Community; $25.00 for non-

members - 3/6 seats available

In the planning stage:

The Phonopraxia Group:

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