Abstract
Post-stroke management of person with aphasia (PWA) needs the crucial involvement of significant others (SOs) or caregivers of PWA. The manners in which SOs perceive the burden and execute their supportive communication strategies (SCS) are highly variable and are influenced by many factors like their motivation, emotional attachment, constraints of time and economy, self-confidence, and the clinical and individualistic attributes of the PWA herself or himself. There are variations regarding motivation, supportive communication strategies (SCS), significance and burden of communication to PWA by SO. These variations lead to a prognosis of a PWA, which needs to be evaluated for a better understanding of the diversity of burden and SCS before incorporating tailor-made treatment planning. These aspects have a significant bearing on the prognosis of aphasia, hence must be evaluated prior to treatment planning.
TopReview Of The Literature
Conversations between two people who do not have communication impairment often follow a basic structure, to begin with a greeting, an act of introduction of the main topic, conversational turn-taking where each partner exchange message as needed and then a closing of a topic (Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson, 1974; Stokoe, 2013). When one partner experiences communication impairment such as aphasia, this exchange becomes difficult, yet the behaviors by both the PWA and their SO can influence the course of the conversation.
Several authors have discussed various conversational facilitators, defined as behaviors that move the conversation forward. Other authors discuss barriers or behaviors that tend to impede information exchange (Bauer and Kulke, 2004; Perkins, 2014; Simmons-Mackie and Kagan, 1999; Stokoe, 2013). When SOs encounters a breakdown in communication, they often attempt to engage in repairing strategy. Repairingstrategy such as starting the conversation again, repeating questions in a simplified manner or otherwise repeating the use of facilitating behaviors in order to repair the miscommunication.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Custom-Based Approach: This approach would suggest the designing of the treatment plan for the patient’s diverse individual needs and desire.
Video Recorded Clips: It refers to short clips of video from a part of the longer video. It could be used for monitoring, analysis and feedback related to natural settings.
Diverse: It is related to the different character or quality of persons/thoughts/feeling/burden which makes them distinct from one another.
Strategy: It is a planned process or actions used to facilitate and accelerate particular target performance.
Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program: The program offering a wide variety of additional programs and services to support and make PWA able to participate in social communities.
Alternate Modality: It refers to the unpopular modalities of communication other than the verbal mode. Use of alternate modality reduces the communication gap between society and PWA.
Natural Settings: It refers to actual environment, where PWA actually resides and faces the communication difficulties. Communication assessment and management in natural setting facilitates authentic and functional communication.