Talking Aphasia

4

Have more questions and don't know where to turn?


Join our community and get access to monthly support calls, an online chat forum for questions, and even monthly 1:1 calls with Rachael! CLICK HERE for more information.

One of my favorite things is when someone with dementia, who doesn’t normally speak, speaks to me.

It happens every once in a while. I’ve had a few residents with aphasia, which means that they have (usually) the inability to communicate verbally. Interestingly, I’ve found that even though these residents usually can’t speak, they make complete sense when words to come out of their mouths.

I think a lot of people give up trying to talk to people with dementia who have aphasia. I make it a point to continue talking to them as if we’re having a two-sided conversation. You never know when that person is going to talk back.

A couple days ago I was outside with Amanda. Amanda doesn’t speak, usually, but she’s very physically active: she loves walking up and down the hallways, cleaning, and picking up objects. Because she is so active and on-the-go, I decided to offer her a seat in a nearby rocking chair.

She touched the wooden chair and said to me in a quiet voice, “I can’t sit there, it’s hot!” 

Joyfully I responded, “It’s not that bad, Amanda!”

“No, touch it with your hand. It’s very warm,” she disagreed. I loved that her sentence made complete sense. It was almost as though she spoke every single day. Perhaps, in her mind, she was “talking” every day. 

Amanda seemed to shrug and went to sit in it anyway. As she settled in, she began to tap her feet on the ground, rocking the chair back and forth slowly.

She closed her eyes, enjoyed the constant, slow movement, and went to sleep.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rachael Wonderlin is an internationally-recognized dementia care expert and consultant. She has a Master’s in Gerontology and is the author of three published books with Johns Hopkins University Press. Rachael owns Dementia By Day, a dementia care consulting and education company.

16 things poster
Get the FREE “16 Things” poster!

You're not alone!

Get personal support from Rachael and connect with other Caregivers when you join our community.

16 Things I Would Want If I Got Dementia

Get the FREE “16 Things” poster for your personal use—or better yet—your dementia care community’s staff break room!

I wrote this poem years ago, but to date, it’s the most popular piece I’ve ever created.

16 things poster
Shopping Cart