Speech Therapy Following a Stroke - Help
Discussion
Hi all,
I am writing this in support of my girlfriend whose dad suffered from a severe stroke just over a year ago during the 2016 Christmas period. As a result he has lost the ability to communicate verbally and otherwise and is almost paralysed in the right hand side of his body.
I was quite shocked to recently learn that following being discharged from the NHS (who were great BTW) he no longer receive any form of speech therapy, this has lead my girlfriend and I to look into private speech therapy. I rather naively thought that we could get a few short (circa 30 min) sessions per month for £50-60. However, after some initial research it transpires that the starting point is £80 for a single session which seems incredibly high.
Does anyone have any experience in this area and would able recommend of other ways to approach this problem?
Thanks in advance.
I am writing this in support of my girlfriend whose dad suffered from a severe stroke just over a year ago during the 2016 Christmas period. As a result he has lost the ability to communicate verbally and otherwise and is almost paralysed in the right hand side of his body.
I was quite shocked to recently learn that following being discharged from the NHS (who were great BTW) he no longer receive any form of speech therapy, this has lead my girlfriend and I to look into private speech therapy. I rather naively thought that we could get a few short (circa 30 min) sessions per month for £50-60. However, after some initial research it transpires that the starting point is £80 for a single session which seems incredibly high.
Does anyone have any experience in this area and would able recommend of other ways to approach this problem?
Thanks in advance.
My late dad suffered a series of smaller strokes before the biggy after which he suffered the same. I feel your pain and you have my sympathies.
When it became clear a return to anything like at least a modicum of normal communication ability would be unlikely without intervention, we went down the speech therapy route which was thankfully provided as part of the NHS trust's after care support at the time (late 00s). However, witnessing the frustration in my dad at being unable to form words or respond to the therapy was horrid. In the end, the least worse option was to leave it be.
After a while, some speech returned naturally - enough for basic requests to be understood and a very moderate conversation to be had.
Every case is different and I wouldn't suggest not looking at what's available but at the same time, don't discount the need to learn a new way of communication on both sides.
The very best of luck. I know how tough it is.
When it became clear a return to anything like at least a modicum of normal communication ability would be unlikely without intervention, we went down the speech therapy route which was thankfully provided as part of the NHS trust's after care support at the time (late 00s). However, witnessing the frustration in my dad at being unable to form words or respond to the therapy was horrid. In the end, the least worse option was to leave it be.
After a while, some speech returned naturally - enough for basic requests to be understood and a very moderate conversation to be had.
Every case is different and I wouldn't suggest not looking at what's available but at the same time, don't discount the need to learn a new way of communication on both sides.
The very best of luck. I know how tough it is.
StevieBee said:
My late dad suffered a series of smaller strokes before the biggy after which he suffered the same. I feel your pain and you have my sympathies.
When it became clear a return to anything like at least a modicum of normal communication ability would be unlikely without intervention, we went down the speech therapy route which was thankfully provided as part of the NHS trust's after care support at the time (late 00s). However, witnessing the frustration in my dad at being unable to form words or respond to the therapy was horrid. In the end, the least worse option was to leave it be.
After a while, some speech returned naturally - enough for basic requests to be understood and a very moderate conversation to be had.
Every case is different and I wouldn't suggest not looking at what's available but at the same time, don't discount the need to learn a new way of communication on both sides.
The very best of luck. I know how tough it is.
Thanks for your response. I'm very sorry to hear that you went through a similar experience with your late dad.When it became clear a return to anything like at least a modicum of normal communication ability would be unlikely without intervention, we went down the speech therapy route which was thankfully provided as part of the NHS trust's after care support at the time (late 00s). However, witnessing the frustration in my dad at being unable to form words or respond to the therapy was horrid. In the end, the least worse option was to leave it be.
After a while, some speech returned naturally - enough for basic requests to be understood and a very moderate conversation to be had.
Every case is different and I wouldn't suggest not looking at what's available but at the same time, don't discount the need to learn a new way of communication on both sides.
The very best of luck. I know how tough it is.
We've heard lots of stories about people making partial/full recoveries which fill us with hope. He is only 55 so I guess a relatively young man in stroke terms.
May I ask how long it took your dad to pick up basic speech again after you decided to 'leave it be'?
I had this experience with a neighbour who was aphasic after a stroke.. We all took turns for a year going to his house and conversing, and we enrolled him in toastmasters. He did recover quite a lot. The stroke asked him to be unable t follow a mixed conversation at (say) a dinner table) and he has to hunt for words, but overall he can function.
Hunt out some local support groups. My dad went through similar and while the care he had immediately after the stroke was great, the same couldn't be said of his local NHS speech therapists. This is a while ago mind. Mum found a local stroke support group and this really helped, not only with access to other speech therapists, but also being able to socialise with others who had the same issue. This helped him gain confidence and in turn to try harder to communicate after months of withdrawal and just not being bothered. He never fully regained his speech however.
AndyDefault said:
May I ask how long it took your dad to pick up basic speech again after you decided to 'leave it be'?
Therapy lasted weekly for about six weeks after he came home. Because of the distress this caused, my Mum picked up on the process and took over the therapy herself which was the best thing as she wasn't tied to a set time and could just do it at as and when. I can't say there was a defined time when we considered it fruitless cause, it just sort of emerged that way but thinking back, I'd say that we probably knew within a month or two that that was how it was going to be.
I'd add that my Dad was in his mid 70s when the stroke hit. 55 is no age and I would think that the chances of a greater recovery would be much higher.
HTH
StevieBee said:
I'd add that my Dad was in his mid 70s when the stroke hit. 55 is no age and I would think that the chances of a greater recovery would be much higher.
HTH
Just to balance this, my Dad was 51 when he had his stroke and which left him aphasic. Physically he was more or less fine, perhaps slightly weaker on his right side, and mentally he was all there. His speech never improved between the stroke and passing away 13 years later. He was always better at speaking in the mornings but as he became more tired his speech deteriorated badly. Even on his good days he'd maybe get out 3 words in 10 that made sense. It's a horrible condition and I wish your girlfriend's dad the best in getting the help and support he needs.HTH
Thanks for everyone else's responses and sorry to hear that you have had to deal with this terrible affliction also.
It's interesting to hear such mixed outcomes over time. RDMcG, I guess any kind of communication such as your neighbours would be a great outcome at this moment.
Rednotdead - Thanks for your best wishes, it sounds like you had a hard time with your dad so sorry to hear that. Thanks for the advice on the local support groups, we will look into this most definitely.
Interestingly, since I wrote my original post he has started regained some movement in his right arm - to the point where when standing he can move his hand from a straight arm position up to his waist. Is there any correlation between physically recovery and mental/verbal recovery?
It's interesting to hear such mixed outcomes over time. RDMcG, I guess any kind of communication such as your neighbours would be a great outcome at this moment.
Rednotdead - Thanks for your best wishes, it sounds like you had a hard time with your dad so sorry to hear that. Thanks for the advice on the local support groups, we will look into this most definitely.
Interestingly, since I wrote my original post he has started regained some movement in his right arm - to the point where when standing he can move his hand from a straight arm position up to his waist. Is there any correlation between physically recovery and mental/verbal recovery?
Hi, my wife suffered a massive stroke in 2010. One of the side effects is she has expressive dysphasia. When she first started to speak after they wakened her up the hospital staff thought she was French/Foreign. Her speech is that bad. She cannot string two words together even though she had all the speech therapy whilst she was in hospital and still gets some now. Bizarrely she is nearly word perfect when she sings along with the radio etc. Maybe this is something to try.
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