Revealing the competence of aphasic adults through conversation: A challenge to health professionals

The Aphasia Centre-North York is partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health. The training for volunteers and health professionals referred to in this article is supported by a grant from Health and Welfare Canada, under the Senior's Independence Program (Project #4687-06-93/250).

The ideas presented have been developed in the context of years of daily observation and interaction with aphasic individuals and their families, as well as with colleagues at the three Aphasia Centres in Ontario, Canada (Pat Arato, Rochelle Cohen-Schneider, Marcia Demchuk, Gillian Gailey, Ruth Patterson, Jeannette Podolsky, Lorraine Podolsky, Kathy Stiell, Anne Wells, and Joanne Winckel). I first heard the concepts of transaction and interaction from Nina Simmons-Mackie. I would particularly like to thank Joanne Winckel and Elyse Shumway, who have worked with me on the creation of the training modules. My thanks also to colleagues and members of my doctoral committee for comments on earlier versions of this article. Gerry's willingness to participate in our training videos is much appreciated.

Abstract

The idea that aphasia masks competence normally revealed through conversation forms the basis for a conceptual model thatextends the traditional definition and scope of practice in this field. The model focuses on the long-term, psychosocial consequences of reduced communicative access to social and community life, including reduced access to the service of health professionals. Intervention focuses on training conversation partners (including health professionals) to acqu i re ski I Is that enable the com petence of aphasic adults to be acknowledged and revealed.

• aphasia
• competence
• conversation
• psychosocial

Notes

The Aphasia Centre-North York is partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health. The training for volunteers and health professionals referred to in this article is supported by a grant from Health and Welfare Canada, under the Senior's Independence Program (Project #4687-06-93/250).

The ideas presented have been developed in the context of years of daily observation and interaction with aphasic individuals and their families, as well as with colleagues at the three Aphasia Centres in Ontario, Canada (Pat Arato, Rochelle Cohen-Schneider, Marcia Demchuk, Gillian Gailey, Ruth Patterson, Jeannette Podolsky, Lorraine Podolsky, Kathy Stiell, Anne Wells, and Joanne Winckel). I first heard the concepts of transaction and interaction from Nina Simmons-Mackie. I would particularly like to thank Joanne Winckel and Elyse Shumway, who have worked with me on the creation of the training modules. My thanks also to colleagues and members of my doctoral committee for comments on earlier versions of this article. Gerry's willingness to participate in our training videos is much appreciated.